Endlessly, She Said
by AleinaReigning
Summary: Zuko is dead, and Katara is struggling in a world of suspicion. She becomes wrapped up with the mysterious Blue Spirit, and soon discovers the first in a string of lies that may lead to the most shattering conclusion of her life... or death. Zutara, R&R! Now complete!
1. Shattered Reflections

**Hey there guys Aleina here. I stole the title of this from one of AFI's songs, but it's not a songfic- just a story that came to me today, wouldn't leave me alone, and occupied my brain, demanding to be written. This chapter and the next might seem kind of slow, but don't worry- it will pick up. Enjoy, and PLEASE REVIEW!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything, Avatar is the property of Nickelodeon and all that good stuff. Lucky people.**

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><p>Chapter One<br>Shattered Reflections

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><p>Katara padded silently to the window in her bare feet, smiling and listening to the world outside her door. The room she inhabited was spacious and open, the floors a dark cherry with red furnishings, as befitted the Fire Nation.<p>

The city of Caldera, better known as the Fire Nation capital city in the womb of the dormant volcano, was teeming with life. Down the street she could hear the fish vendor yelling, and the women who sold the spice soups were advertising their daily stews. Children played among the older civilians until told to stop by stern parents, and Katara smiled as she saw a little girl being swung up into the air by the strong arms of her father.

The war had been over for only eight months, but the atmosphere was already happier than it had been in years- and not just in the prosperous cities. Zuko had convened with all the world leaders as soon as he'd become Fire Lord, and they had planned ways to get food, medicine and other supplies to disaster zones, like the Third Ring of Ba Sing Se and the countless Fire Nation establishments within the Earth Kingdom. Help had also been sent to the Water Tribes- the Northern Reconstruction Project had acquired so many volunteers that they'd started turning people down, or reassigning them to the Air Temples.

Aang had written a letter to Katara just a week ago, talking about his first home- the Southern Air Temple. He'd gone with a group of refugees who no longer had homes, and together they were trying to replace the peaceful Air Nomads who had been decimated a hundred years ago. Aang had been so excited for the project when he left six months ago, even though he had wanted her to come along.

"_Come on, it'll be fun! Like the old days, just you and me… and a couple hundred volunteers. But still, Katara, at least we'll be together!" Aang grinned hopefully, his grey eyes searching hers, then leaned back almost defensively. "You still want to be together… right?"_

_Her skin prickled, and she shifted her cerulean gaze from his eyes to the roiling city around her. There was something so joyful about it, but it was a desperate happiness- as though people were enjoying what they could before the other shoe dropped. _

_It reminded her of what life was like when she was younger- always on edge, waiting for the raids, wondering who would be taken next. She couldn't explain the attraction she held for this place, the desire to be near the epicenter of change. _

_She studiously ignored the scarred face that came to mind, and the fluttering of her heart when she dared to name it. The explosions sending shivers down her spine were unearthly, exciting- and she only ever felt them when she thought of Zuko. It was like she could be a woman with him around- not a warrior, not a mother figure… not someone to be adored, like a puppy following its master._

"_Aang, I can't…. go. I can't go." She chickened out at the last moment, mentally berating herself. But how could she break his heart after he'd trusted her with it for so long? Her guilt was too much for her to handle, but she knew it would be even worse if she hurt him. "I need to stay and represent my tribe, because Sokka isn't here to do it. I have to do what I can for my home, while you do what you need to for yours. Does that make sense?" _

_His expression saddened, and he nodded wordlessly before flicking the wings out on his glider and taking off from the balcony of her house, leaving her to her loneliness._

She shook her head to clear her thoughts, ordering herself not to stray down that path again. From his letters, she could tell that he didn't hold it against her. In fact, he'd uncovered a hidden room full of the monks' teachings, and ancient scripts that he alone could translate. He had taken Longshot, Smellerbee and the girl from the Fire Nation school he went to, On Ji, and was planning on teaching them his heritage before he enlightened the hundreds of followers he'd brought with him.

No doubt about it, his work now was changing the world just as much as his war actions had. She was actually sort of jealous- while he was keeping busy helping an entire culture come back from extinction, she was sitting around in Caldera, acting as the Southern Water Tribe ambassador, waiting for news from her friends and healing whoever came to her- with one glaring exception, where she had been the one to seek her patient out.

She's seen Azula at the height of her madness, and had seen the hollow, broken young woman who was left over. It occurred to her that they were all just kids- except Zuko, who was of age, but still- they were too young to hate so fiercely, to throw away everything on one failure. So she had gone to the palace, and asked Zuko if he would let her heal Azula.

He'd said yes, but had restricted the meetings to ensure her safety. She'd met the princess in a white room, sitting on the bed with dull eyes and asking her what she was doing there. As an answer, she'd pulled water from her pouch and onto her palms, and had moved behind the girl. It had been as if Azula no longer cared what happened to her- if she'd been the same ruthless princess who had shot lightning at her, she would have jumped up and defended herself against an attack, but she had just sat still and quiet, indifferent.

It had taken weeks of daily visits, trying to heal the severed connections in Azula's mind, but Katara had done it. By the end of it, the girl was imperious, cruel as ever, but completely stable, and she hadn't seen Katara since. She'd done her part and eased her guilt, knowing that her battle was the turning point of Azula's breakdown. She'd brought the girl back, and her debt was repaid.

But that still didn't mean she liked the spoiled, power-hungry little brat.

Katara snickered to herself, sounding more like Toph than she cared to admit. The Blind Bandit was currently on a mission to scout out any troublemaking Fire Nation soldiers in the Earth Kingdom and arrest them, helping the villages who'd been under oppression for so long that they didn't know what to do once they were free.

Secretly, Katara thought it was just a maneuver to keep the twelve-year-old out of school, but she wasn't one to judge.

Last she'd heard, Toph was making her rounds in Senlin Village, near the forest where Aang had encountered Hai Bai, the panda spirit. It was right on a peninsula which was straight across the ocean from the Fire Nation Capital.

She'd subconsciously mulled the idea of going to see her over in her mind, before deciding to stay in Caldera.

_Waiting,_ a little voice whispered in the back of her mind, but she squashed it down, biting her lip in annoyance. She wasn't waiting for anyone- any_thing_. Especially not for a certain Fire Lord to get back from his trip to the Earth Kingdom. Rumor had it that he'd gone back to visit Iroh in the Jade Dragon, but no one knew for sure- and if they did, they weren't letting the bat-lemur out of the bag.

She wouldn't be surprised, though. Zuko thought of his uncle as his father, and he was right to do so. Katara felt a burst of hatred for Ozai when she remembered everything he'd put his son through- the scars, the emotional damage, the loss of his mother. It was a good thing that Ozai had wasted away in his prison cell, died in that rotten cage before she hunted him down...

She realized what she was thinking, and drew away from the violence in her own head. _What the… Spirits, Katara, did Azula really rub off on you this much? _The shocked, taunting tone sounded suspiciously like Sokka's voice, even though he was currently with Suki on Kyoshi Island, waiting for their first child to be born. Then, they would continue on to the Southern Water Tribe so that Sokka could help with reconstruction, and so that he could learn how to be a good leader, and someday the chief, when Hakoda steps down.

She shook her head again, just then noticing a twinge of pain in her temples. She'd been sitting inside too long.

The young woman stood up and slipped out of her red robe, leaving it draped over the back of her chair by the window and rolling her shoulders. Her house had a yard in back, and a pond right next to the high fence. She went outside in her usual training costume, her chest bindings and a pair of short pants gathered at her knees. She shifted her weight and raised her arms, pulling thing, thread-like streams of water from the pond, swirling them around her like a spider spinning a web, then freezing the strands in a precarious cage around her. This form was no use on a battlefield, instead being used for performing arts, but she liked it anyway. She touched the ice and felt it collapse around her, then spiraled the water above her head, adding more from the pond until it was a whirling cyclone, then brought her arms down to pound the water into the ground.

She was almost too late in noticing the palace messenger waiting nervously by her back door, but caught the water just in time, arcing it over their heads and back into the pool. The older man looked terrified, and she knew he probably thought she was attacking him.

"Sorry about that, I just got so caught up that I didn't notice you. So, yeah. Really, I'm sorry." The man nodded faintly, and she realized he was averting his gaze from her, blushing. Most people in the Fire Nation didn't walk around in their underwear.

This time, it was her turn to blush. "Oh. Um, let's just go inside- I'll put some real clothes on… what's going on?" she asked conversationally, leading the man back into her home. She found the robe and turned away from the man.

"You have received a letter from Lady Mai, Master Katara," he said, and the silk slipped from her numb fingers. Mai? No, there had to be a mistake. She hastily picked up the fabric and slung it over her shoulders, cinching the sash around her waist and whipping around to face the man. He was bent over at the waist in a formal bow, holding a sealed letter out in front of him. She took it, not really believing it was true until she caught a glimpse of Mai's seal holding the letter closed- two lethal looking knives crossed against a scrolled background.

"Why would the future Fire Lady be writing to me?" she asked, regretting the bitter tone of her voice. She didn't trust the woman- not after everything that had happened during the war. Not to mention that she'd completely abandoned Zuko when he was banished, a fact that he seemed to overlook when he asked her to marry him. The wedding would be sometime next year, as soon as she turned eighteen.

Katara wasn't quite sure if she was going.

"I don't know, but… well, the honorable lady seemed to be very upset when she ordered these letters to be sent out."

"Letters?" So she wasn't the only one who was receiving this note. She tore through the seal and unfolded the paper, staring at the words for a full minute without really comprehending the weight behind them.

_Katara-_

_Zuko is dead. I know that after everything between the two of you, you would want to be notified before it was made public. His funeral is in three days, at noon in the palace courtyard._

_-Mai_

"Zuko?" she whispered, tears erupting from her eyes and spilling down her cheeks. She waited, almost as if she would be able to hear him calling back to her. "No. No, this isn't…" The words aught in her throat- she'd never been able to lie to herself. There was no way to tell herself it wasn't happening, because the agony ripping through her was real.

She lost herself in a wordless cry, collapsed to the ground and felt her entire being burn to ash.

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><p><strong>There isn't a lot of dialogue in this chapter, but there will be more. This is more of an explanation of what's going on, a prologue. There is another chapter having to do with the immediate aftermath of Mai's announcement, but after that… we're going on a journey :) and only I know where it ends. Please review!<strong>

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**E everyone, the **

**V ery next update **

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	2. The Ascent

**Hey dudes and ladies, Aleina here. Hopefully you liked that last chapter, and hopefully you were interested enough to come back! Please let me know if you have any questions or comments. Please review. Please. Thanks, and enjoy. Oh, and by the way, this is waaaaay longer than I thought it was going to be.**

Chapter Two  
>The Ascent<p>

Katara was drifting. She could feel everything around her swaying, and something inside her responding, whirling her around in senseless circles. But then she was numb, and all she knew was the image in front of her eyes.

All she could see was Zuko standing across from her, smiling gently and reaching his hand out towards her. But as soon as she moved to follow him, he turned away- right into a blade of blue lightning. She heard Azula's insane cackle rising above her own horrified screams, and she ran to him- she could save him again this time, she just _had _to-

But his body was gone. She fell to her knees, her head spinning, bile catching at the back of her throat and making her gag. She felt like her body was encased in ice, stinging and numbing her at the same time.

Warmth broke through her misery. She knew who it was, she'd felt that hand on her shoulder too many times to count. He was alive, helping her stand and brushing his thumb over her cheek, clearing her tears away. "Zuko," she whispered, and reached out a trembling hand to touch him. He closed his eyes, and she ran her fingers over the rough, papery skin of his scar.

"Katara," he groaned roughly, his voice echoing around her. He opened his eyes and looked down at her, reminding her of the time they'd thrown everything away for the sake of others- but then he was looking away, and his mouth was hardening into a determined frown.

He gripped her shoulder and pulled her down just as something exploded behind them. She gasped, heat searing across her face and body. He covered her with his body, trying to protect her, and she suddenly realized that something was different- Zuko had a rough beard, and he looked so much older. She looked down at herself, noticing the fine creases in her hands and the clothing she wore- it was the same outfit her mother had died in.

Somehow, Zuko knew what was coming. "Get back in the house, Katara! I'll hold him off, he wants me!" She cried out as he pushed her gently towards a door that hadn't been there a minute ago, as the scene morphed right before their eyes. Suddenly, she was surrounded by a village of people, screaming and terrified, watching as their homes burned down. She saw a wall of flames erupt in front of Zuko, saw a man step forward from within the inferno.

Ozai smirked and raised his fists, locking his eyes on Katara. She felt hatred burning in her veins, and heard Zuko's panicked shout when she stepped forward, out of the house and into the chaos. She was ready, she could feel the water in the trees and the grass, and she knew with one move, it would be within her control. She bent her knees and raised her arms, and-

"Mommy?"

She froze. It couldn't be. The voice came from behind her, high pitched and concerned. She saw Zuko whip around to look at her, his golden eyes blazing with an unnamed emotion. Then, she turned and looked at the little girl standing behind her. She looked to be about five years old, with long brown hair that was mussed, as if she'd been sleeping.

The girl looked up at her with golden eyes, the spitting image of Katara, except for the fair skin and the orbs of fire.

"No!" Zuko roared, and she whipped around, watching as he leaped in front of a speeding jolt of fire. She screamed. Ozai laughed.

Zuko died looking into his daughter's eyes.

"STOP!" she cried out as she wrenched up out of bed. Her skin was clammy and cold, and her breaths couldn't come fast enough. For just a moment, it still looked like everything was burning; shadows were seeping from behind the walls, baring their teeth and waiting to snap her skin between their jaws.

"Calm down, Sweetness, it was just a dream." The brash voice snapped her out of her horror, and she looked to the left, seeing a familiar exasperated expression on Toph's face. The younger girl hopped off a pedestal made of stone and stomped her heel, sending it back into the ground. "You sure can sleep, did you know that?"

Katara sat up, feeling sick and scared. "How long have I… was I out?" Toph sighed.

"You passed out after you got Mai's letter about Zuko. That was three days ago, and today is his funeral." Her voice broke on the last word, and Katara was surprised to see tears forming in her blind eyes.

"Oh, Toph," she murmured, and held her arms out. The girl shook her head and wiped the moisture from her eyes, then gave Katara a quick hug, something she'd never done before, and judging by the expression on her face, wasn't going to do again.

"It's just so weird. Sparky was just here, and now, he's dead." Katara held a fist to her mouth, biting her knuckles and trying not to cry out again as agony ripped through her chest. She doubled over, tears leaking from her eyes like rain from a sky.

"I miss him," she moaned, and Toph clapped a hand on her shoulder.

"We'll have time for this later- we need to get ready." Toph walked over to a chest of drawers, taking a linen bag off the surface and opening it. "How the heck do you put this on?" she mumbled, feeling the white dress for buttons. Katara got out of bed, each move Herculean, and helped the girl dress in the mourning outfit. She didn't have a white dress. She wasn't even sure she could go to the funeral.

Her pregnant silence seemed to tip the blind girl off. "In case you were wondering, there's a tailor's shop down the street. I asked, just in case, if we go there we can find you a dress." Katara nodded, and the two young women silently got ready.

Only an hour later, she was dressed in an unfamiliar gown. It cascaded over her body, tied with a simple sash at the waist and ending right above her feet. She wore gold sandals the tailor had recommended, and her hair was up in a bun, away from her neck. She'd taken her mother's necklace off- today was a day for Zuko, and him alone.

They made their way through the streets of Caldera, stopping only once to pick a bouquet of white roses from a street vendor. The palace rose up into the space before them, majestic and ornate. The courtyard was silent, full of soldiers, Fire Nation citizens and dignitaries from around the world. She could see Azula dressed in dazzling white armor, and beside her was Mai. The woman's shoulders were hunched, and she seemed to be staring down at the ground at her feet. Ty Lee was on her other side, rubbing her back in small circles, barely recognizable without her usual pink costume.

A loud groaning, creaking sound filled the air, and Katara turned around in her seat , watching as the great gates of the palace opened, revealing animals pulling a coffin behind them. The wheels turned silently, and she stifled a cry- Zuko was dead, he was in that box, and she'd never see him again.

The crowd watched as the coffin was transported to the platform they were facing, as it was set upon a huge pyre. She felt like the air had grown heavier, struggling to draw it into her lungs and fighting the urge to run away. Toph gripped her hand like steel and shot her a stern glance, and she nodded quickly, trying to calm down. She watched as Azula stood up from her seat and bowed before the coffin, then turned and addressed the crowd.

"We are here to bid a final farewell to Fire Lord Zuko, son of Ozai and Ursa and future husband to Mai. Even when he was a child, he was stubborn and determined. Although he often failed, he kept trying." Katara snarled quietly under her breath- Azula might have sounded like a mourning younger sister to anyone else, but she could see the glint of malice in her expression. She was mocking her own brother. Azula scanned the crowd, then locked eyes with Katara, and smiled cruelly.

"Zuko fought so hard through his years of banishment and shame. He fought the acceptance of his betrayal, and he always competed to become better, to be as excellent as those he was around." Katara felt heat burning through her resolve, she wanted to go up and knock the princess down and make her pay for humiliating Zuko. She snatched her hand away from Toph, ignoring the younger girl's annoyed huff, refusing to look away from Azula.

"My brother fought for so long to be the one to rule this country, and it's a shame he was only able to do so for eight months. Yet although he had few friends with which to share the glory, he always had one who was forever at his side. She accepted him for who he was, and I invite her to speak here today." Katara saw Mai stand up, preparing to speak, and felt a burst of pity for her. She'd thought that Zuko would be there forever, just as Katara had- but somewhere deep down, the waterbender had known that it couldn't happen. Mai had been the one to carry the weight of this on her shoulders- and it was Mai who everyone would remember as the one who loved Zuko.

"Katara of the Water Tribe, please share your opinion of my brother and honor his memory with your words." She saw Mai freeze, and heard a gasp throughout the crowd, followed by quiet mutterings.

"Katara, get up there!" Toph ordered her in an undertone, and shoved her up from her seat. Azula looked deeply satisfied at having shaken her- something she would never forget. But it was Mai who she was watching the hardest. The woman turned around and looked at her stonily, then sat down, never letting her eyes leave her face.

The walk up to the podium was the worst experience of her life. She felt shell shocked, as if she'd just survived an explosion without wanting to. Her feet carried her to the coffin's side, and she gazed at the white marble for a long time before she began to speak.

"When I first met Zuko, he scared me, and he angered me. That was before he found his way, before I even knew who he was and who he would become. So much anger in his eyes, but at the same time…" she hesitated, then looked straight at Mai. "At the same time, I believed that no one could be that lost for that long.

"As time went on, we found ourselves on opposite sides of the battle, never knowing exactly why we had to hate each other so much. But I knew that what he did was for his country- because he was loyal and brave, not because he was a monster. He told me once that he used to think his scar defined him as a traitor, but that he… he then knew that it was just something to remind him of everything that made him strong. Zuko was a dear friend of mine- he's saved my life on a few occasions, and he listened to me, helped me like the man I knew he was."

She saw Mai stand up, and immediately palace guards surrounded her and escorted her out of the courtyard as she fled with sharp, angry movements. What had she said? Katara blushed, wondering if she'd sounded too loving, wondering if everyone now knew exactly what was going through her mind- but one patronizing glance form Azula had her back on track, determined to leave these people with a positive opinion of their Fire Lord.

"Many people believe that Zuko betrayed his country by helping to stop the war, but that isn't true. All his life, he'd been brought up to believe that power and honor was everything, but that isn't true. He knew how to be a friend, and how to help those around him. Zuko was loyal until the end." Hot tears pricked behind her eyes, and her voice shattered like a mirror, sending her emotions out into the crowd.

But she still wasn't ready when Azula stood up and came to stand by her, looking out on the crowd and positioning herself in front of Katara so that she had to stay. This put her closer to the coffin, and she shivered.

"Katara speaks of loyalty, which is the highest _honor_ of all," she said, daring Katara to call her on her taunts. "And loyalty is what, as the next Fire Lord, I will be expecting from all my citizens. The war is over, and the only way to preserve our integrity is to stay loyal to the Fire Nation. I ask all of my people to comply with my reign, and know that I will continue our country's glorious traditions. Thank you for coming." She turned and looked at Katara, who felt all the blood drain from her face.

Azula was going to be Fire Lord. She was next in line for the throne, and there was no way around it. She stepped down, going back to her seat and ignoring Toph's frantic whispers, asking her what had just happened. As she watched, Azula raised her arm and fire benders came forward, bowing to the coffin and then taking up their stances. The princess got into her own position, and brought her arm down. Flames engulfed Zuko's coffin, and she closed her eyes, not wanting to see anymore, wishing she was home in the South Pole, away from the suspicion and heartache.

"Come on, let's go," Toph said, and led her out of the courtyard just as the crowd began to wail in mourning.

They went back to her house, lighting the lamps with long matches and shutting the windows and doors, trying to block out the sound of grieving. She stripped out of the dress and took her hair down, folding a blue robe over her body and going into the small kitchen, searching for some tea to help her fall asleep. Toph kicked off her bottomless shoes and sank onto the couch, curling into a ball and staring off into space. Katara felt her foot brush against something, and saw an envelope on the ground with a black tie around it- it was an urgent message.

She picked it up, feeling something heavy clunking inside of it, and opened the seal. It was from Iroh.

Dear Katara,

I know you must be wondering why a man with his own life to lead asks to interfere with yours, but please indulge me. As you know, I looked at Zuko as my own son, and I often spoke with him about the events which led to his transformation into the man we knew. He only recently told me of everything that had happened between you in Ba Sing Se, about the offer you made to heal his scar in the Crystal Catacombs.

I want to thank you for extending such a kindness to him, and for being such a good friend to him. He spoke very highly of you- if I had not known better, I might have suspected that your friendship was only the door to much bigger things. Please accept my thanks, and as a token of my gratitude, a gift. Also, know that if you ever require an old man's outdated opinion, I am always open to company.

Sincerely, Uncle Iroh

The ink speared down the page, mixing with her tears as she set the letter carefully aside and reached once more into the envelope. There was a wood tablet, and as she drew it out she saw a piece of faded paper pasted to it. There was a drawing of Zuko as a child, looking straight into her eyes with a slight smile on his face.

He looked so innocent- too innocent to die when his life had only just started to mean something to him. His unscarred face was handsome, and she couldn't hold in the whimpers of pain as she set the picture down and fled to her room.

It felt like hours later when she heard her door open, and felt Toph sit on the corner of her bed. "I know this might not be the time to ask, but… Katara, did you… did you love Zuko? As in, were you in love with him?"

She closed her eyes, thinking back, knowing what her answer had to be, but not willing to lie anymore.

_Zuko laid on his back in Appa's saddle, the wound on his chest still in the earliest stages of healing. Katara flew swiftly, looking back every so often, knowing she had to concentrate but wishing she could have done something more to help him. Azula was in a cell, surrounded by guards, and the comet was still blazing across the sky, turning the clouds blood red and reminding her that Ozai and Aang were changing history- unless someone had already lost the battle._

"_So now that Azula's out of the way, I guess you have everything you want," she said quietly, trying to distract herself. Zuko smiled triumphantly, but with a hint of something hidden behind his eyes. _

"_It certainly seems that way. Fire Lord, a safer world… and thanks to you, my life. But you must feel pretty fulfilled too, right?" When she didn't answer, he pressed on. "You have everything _you_ want- a better world to show your children, your victory tonight. You have Aang to love."_

_She jolted and stared at him, her eyes wide. His own were searching, flickering back and forth and revealing nothing but a slight sadness. He was waiting for an answer- something she couldn't give him, not without tearing down everything they'd worked so hard to build._

"_I don't know what I want right n-" she started to say, but he cut her off._

"_You're lying. You know exactly what you want," he challenged, and she felt herself being pulled into him, her heart pounding fiercely. _

"_I do? And what about you, Zuko? Are you sure you're totally content with everything you have? With being a ruler, and having Mai, and…" she trailed off, not believing she'd actually said the words. Maybe he wouldn't notice how bitter she'd sounded._

"_Oh, Katara," he murmured smoothly, and then gasped, covering his chest wound and growling with pain. She pulled water onto her hands and tried to find the source of the pain, to draw it out, but the water went in and searched, finding nothing more she could heal. He put his hand over hers, and without another thought, she curled up beside him, staring up into his golden, gentle eyes. "I can never have everything that I want, not even close. And I know that- which is why I have to be content with what I already do have."_

_Her skin was alive, warmed by his body next to hers. Her stomach was jumping, and she knew that if she didn't ask now, the chance would be lost forever._

"_Are you sure you can't have what you truly want?" she said quietly. _

_Zuko smiled. "Not without hurting everyone else who wants it," he whispered. With one fluid movement, he brought his hand up and stroked her cheek, sending shivers up her spine. Then, he closed his eyes, and his hand slid down to her neck, heavy as he lost consciousness and left her alone with her thoughts._

_She whispered the words as quietly as she could, and couldn't stop the tears as they flowed from her eyes and onto his skin, leaving their impression long after she'd fallen asleep._

When she woke up, she was alone in Caldera, and her skin was still tingling from the memory of Zuko's touch. She'd dreamed about him before, but every so often, she was lucky enough to close her eyes and remember that night, knowing it had truly happened.

Toph had left. She knew it as soon as she sat up, a heaviness in her stomach that hadn't been there before. She walked through her house, wondering what the walls held for her, not knowing what secrets they'd chosen to keep for her.

It wasn't as if it mattered, anyways. The seventeen year old girl looked around her and didn't see anything worth anything. It was like the part of her that loved life so fiercely had died with Zuko.

It was like she'd perished along with him.

She stood by the window for a long time, looking out on the world, staying in her head. She didn't mind the loneliness so much. There was a hole punched right through her chest, right where Zuko had been struck with lightning, and she doubted it would close.

So she would wait, however long it took, to be with him again, to feel whole again.

**Well this was depressing to write. Don't worry, though, it won't always be this… angsty. Please review!**


	3. Illusions of the Night

**Hello again. This is sort of a shorter chapter, but it was more exciting I'm really disappointed by the amount of reviews this is getting. I don't know what you readers like or dislike, and I know that way more people are reading this than the reviews show. **

**So please, take some time and tell me what you think, because I don't want to just clutter up my computer with something that people don't want to read.**

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><p>Chapter Three<br>Illusions in the Night

Two Years Later

Katara heard a knock on her front door, and visibly tensed. It could be someone looking for help, but it could also be someone looking for trouble- in these times, the latter seemed to be the most popular option.

She crossed the creaky floor of her apartment, not bothering to be upset about the mold on the ceiling, or the shabby state of the rug on the floor. There were few material possessions that still held any power over her, and she'd never leave those out in the open anyway.

She looked through a crack in the door and saw a woman standing outside her apartment- from the sliver she could see, the woman looked as ragged and desperate as Katara felt, and compassion unfurled its wilted blossom as she drew the hood of her cloak over her face and opened the door.

"What is your business?" she asked quietly, and the woman looked at her fearfully, trying to see behind the shadows and discern kindness from her features.

"Are you the… the Painted Lady?" Katara felt a rush of excitement, and nodded. The woman seemed to fold within herself, and she stepped forward. "Thanks be to Agni. My son… he's very sick, and we have no money for a doctor. They say that you can perform miracles, and bring people back from the brink of death- please, help us. I don't have money, but I'll give you this."

The woman took off a ring on her left hand and held it up for her to see. A fiery crystal was set in a simple silver band, flashing in the low light emanating from her home. She pushed it back, and opened her door wider.

"Where is your son?" she asked, and the woman explained that she hadn't been sure if this was the real place or not. She rushed down the stairs to the tea shop below Katara's apartment, and she saw the lady sling a small boy up into her arms, carrying him up the steps and looking too weak to take anything more. Katara took the boy and felt his face, noticing a temperature and swallowing thickly.

It was always the poorest ones, the youngest ones. They were the citizens most affected by Azula's cruelty and frivolity- while the corrupt, foolish upper class had parties and balls every night, the working families got paid less and less and fell deeper into poverty.

She did what she could to help, but she'd known that being Katara would have been too conspicuous. Few people knew of her time as the Painted Lady before, and they were all on opposite sides of the world. So she'd disappeared from her furnished house in the rich streets of Caldera, fleeing through shadows until she found somewhere so deep that no one would ever follow her.

And this was her life now- it had been so ever since he died.

She laid the kid on her couch, noting the way he moaned and tried to shift away from the ratty fabric. She hushed him and felt the mother move in behind her, collapsing to the floor and staring at her son. Katara couldn't risk waterbending while she was here- it was too rare of a cure, and she might tell someone, but at the same time there was something about the woman that told her she wouldn't be leaving her son's side.

This left the remedies she'd picked up along her journey. A mixture of licorice root and thyme and some mint would bring his fever down enough to discern what else was wrong. She turned, being careful to keep her face hidden, and pulled a wooden box out from under the loose floorboards. It was full of herbs and salves she'd need- but on closer inspection, her heart sank.

She was out of licorice root.

Dreading what she was going to have to do, she stood up and turned to the woman. "Are you alright?" she asked, putting a hand behind her back and calling a thin, hidden stream of water to her fingers. It wound around her digits as she knelt by the woman.

"I'm just tired, please, can you help him?" she said, and Katara bit her lip, then tilted her head up and let her eyes shine through the dim shadow of the hood. The woman gasped.

"I need you to close your eyes. If you don't, then your son may get worse. Please, ma'am." The woman searched her gaze for malice, the nodded and closed her eyes. Quick as lightning, Katara touched her neck with the water, and the woman slumped to the floor, passed out. She turned her over and covered her with a blanket to her chin, then turned back to the boy. His eyes were struggling to open- she had to work fast.

The water went over his temples, and began glowing a bright blue that reminded her of Aang's tattoos- though the last time she'd seen him was almost three years ago. The healing liquid soothed the pain from his head and cooled him down, but she knew it was only temporary.

There was a new moon tonight, the sky black and choked with stars, and she didn't have the energy to heal him completely.

So instead, she stood up and left her house, blowing the lanterns out on her way, taking off across the rooftops to the only licorice trees in all of Caldera- the ones from the Royal Garden outside the palace.

It took her only fifteen minutes to make her way into the Upper Ring- also known as the Fool's City, named for the vapid rich people who occupied it. After that, she left the rooftops, stalking through the alleys, hiding amongst the shadows and praying that she wouldn't be caught.

She knew how to get around the guards, which fences to climb over and which ones to avoid. She'd taken the trip many times, and she didn't have any time to lose. She vaulted over the wall to the garden, forcing the water to spring up from the grass and catapult her to the top- a move that almost got her killed when she realized that two soldiers stood right below her.

She froze on the wall, holding her breath, waiting to be discovered- but they were talking low, not paying as much attention as they should.

"They say she's been taking her dinners in her room lately, but no one knows why. I think she's cracking up under the pressure, even the nobles think-"

"Quiet, you idiot, do you want to get us killed? So what if Azula can't handle the pressure? It's not like there's anyone to take her place, after what happened to Z- did you hear that?"

Katara clapped her hand over her mouth, too late to realize that she'd been the one to gasp. But the guards just shrugged and left, leaving her to process what she'd just heard. Azula was withdrawing again? What would that mean for the Fire Nation, higher taxes to pay for more of her madness? Maybe they were overreacting. The last she'd heard, the Fire Lord was cruel as ever, but completely sane- as sane as one could be, at least, with Ozai for a father.

She shook her head clear, ignoring the desire to remember Ozai's son, to spend all night trying to recreate the memory of his touch on her cheek. She instead dropped to the ground and rolled, then ran as fast as she could to the licorice trees.

She hacked off a root with her waterbending, noting that she was only able to pull a small stream- she was getting too tired, too weak, and the new moon wasn't helping. As she pocketed the roots she stood and went to the trellis, knowing that it would be faster and easier than bending herself over the wall.

Within moments she was back in Fool's City, racing down the streets, ignoring the cries of women as she darted out of alleys and back onto side streets. She knew what she must look like- a dark, hooded figure flitting like a crow through the night.

A loud scream startled her, and she stumbled, not catching herself quickly enough and crashing to the ground. The echo died out, but her heart was beating fast and clear- someone was hurt, she could just tell. A muffled cry rang out from her right, and she dived down the alley, struggling to see in the darkness.

"Shut _up_, you little brat, shut up! Come with us quietly and you'll see your parents in no time." A dark voice rasped out, a she caught a glimpse of a pale, terrified girl before she was once again blocked by three tall, burly men.

"Please, I'm an orphan, I don't have parents! I don't have money, please, let me go!" One of the men swore, and turned away, roughly shoving the little girl away from him.

"Dammit, Tyoni! You were planning on holding an orphan for ransom? Just kill her, she's seen our faces and she's of no use to-" He broke off with a grunt, collapsing forward onto his knees as a rock clattered to the ground.

Katara picked up another one, aiming for his head again. She knew she couldn't bend, doubted she'd be able to do it now anyways- this was the best she could do. Suddenly, the other two men were rushing towards her, and she threw the stone at the one closest, hitting his groin and making him howl with agony as he too dropped to his knees. She swung her leg out and kicked him in the head, heard him gasp as he passed out.

The other kidnapper caught her off guard, and she felt him connect with her body, sending them both flying to the ground. She kicked at him and lashed out, trying to free her arms from his iron grip, crying out in pain as he kneed her in the stomach, and-

His weight was gone, and the glint of two Dao swords flashed in the weak street light. A towering figure stood above her, his back to her, facing the attackers. The man he had thrown back was staring in horror, mouthing the name of Katara's defender.

She turned her eyes away as he unsheathed his swords, having seen him do so before, then remembered the reason she'd come to help in the first place and sat up, wincing. He was already moving forward, raising the swords over the head of the unconscious men as the others begged him to have mercy.

"Stop!" she cried, "There's a child here!"

The figure stopped in his tracks, halting the swing of his swords. Then, he turned to face her, and the mask of the Blue Spirit leered down at her. The hollow black eyes bored into her soul, and she realized the hood had fallen from her face during the struggle.

It didn't matter, though- he'd seen her before.

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><p><strong>Hope you liked it :) please review. Seriously- if I don't start getting some feedback, there's a chance I won't continue this. As you can guess, I know how it ends, and it's no big deal to me whether or not I get the entire thing up on FF. So if you want to know what happens, say so.<strong>


	4. The Demon Guardian

**I apologize for holding this story ransom for reviews, guys. I was just really frustrated, and sort of insecure about this story because it's not something I've really done before. Please continue to review, thank you so much. Hopefully this chapter addresses some of your concerns. Enjoy!**

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><p>Chapter Four<br>The Demon Guardian

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><p>An eternity passed between them before the moment broke. He silently pointed one of his swords at the little girl, and then at her. But words were unnecessary, because the child got up and ran to her, skirting around the groaning men and then hiding behind Katara. The Blue Sprit turned back to them, and she knew what was going to happen.<p>

She took the girl's hand and dragged her out of the alley, running as fast as she could and telling her to do the same, but they still weren't far enough when the clang of metal sounded, when the screams of horror began.

Still they ran, and Katara glanced down at the little girl. Her cheek was already swelling, and she had scrapes on her hands, but looked fine otherwise. She wore a simple shift of grey linen, something Katara had seen other orphans wear as they toured the city. Her hair was dark brown and shaggy, short enough to just barely graze her shoulders, and her eyes were a soft brown.

"Are you alright?" she asked, slowing her pace and looking around, then pulling her down a side street on the way to her apartment. The girl nodded. "What's your name?" she asked, and then added gently, "You don't have to be afraid right now. You're safe with me, okay?"

"My name is Lani," she said, and then turned to look at Katara with wide eyes. "Who was that man who saved us?"

She bit her lip, wondering how to answer. The Blue Spirit had been like a shadow to her since she began living in the slums. When she left the huge house in the burg of Caldera, she'd left behind all contact with everyone she'd known- one last letter to Sokka, saying she needed to hide for a while, but that she was safe. Another note to Aang, saying that they would meet again sometime. And a last one to Toph, thanking her for everything during the funeral, and telling her that Toph of all people should be able to understand why she was disappearing.

But the Blue Spirit seemed so familiar to her when he'd begun protecting her. He never spoke, never did anything to harm her, and never asked anything in return. It was as if he was a guardian spirit, but no- she'd gone to a library once and tried to research the original Blue Spirit, and had ripped the page out of the book in case she'd need the information again.

What she had read hadn't been very comforting.

"The Blue Spirit is a minor demon, born of a thorn in Agni's finger that was thrown into the ocean. The demon is the bringer of death and destruction to those who have already seen him, and often follows mourning women to reconnect them with their loves.

The demon is a tracker. Once he chooses a victim, this monster of the shadows will not rest until this victim is dead."

But her spirit had never led her astray- he had even saved her on too many occasions to count. She had been in Fool's City, waiting for a man to meet her and give her witch hazel, and a guard had tried to drag her into a bar, already drunk.

Needless to say, she'd refused- violently. She'd been on the run from him and his companions, not yet knowing the layout of that part of the city, scrambling to find somewhere to hide- and she'd run into the Blue Spirit, staring into the motionless mask and being hypnotized by the sudden feeling that she'd met him before.

She'd trusted him when he pulled her up and pointed into an alley, and she'd run down the street and found a covered shelter to dip into, her heart beating in her throat as the guards walked right next to her, searching for her.

But they hadn't found her.

There was also a time when she'd been on her way on a house call to a man who sent his friend to tell her he was afraid of losing his leg, and didn't know who else to turn to. She'd gotten her medicines together and was almost to his house when the Blue Spirit dropped down in front of her, not letting her pass. They'd fought, her eventually having to use her waterbending, but he'd just cut through the ice darts and dodged her attacks as if he'd seen them all before.

She hadn't known that there was a reason he wouldn't let her pass, but the next morning she'd heard a story about a man who lured girls into his house, raped them, and then murdered them. And the day after that, she'd heard from a customer that the man had been found with his head by his feet, killed by a man wearing a blue mask.

She'd thought of him as a protector, a demon saving her from self-righteous angels, and the feeling was supported by the nagging voice in the back of her head that told her she'd known him before, in a previous life. She trusted him, but she still couldn't answer Lani, not knowing what exactly he was.

Instead, she asked another question. "What were you doing out so late, and not in the orphanage?"

Lani blushed. "I was practicing, because they don't let people bend in the orphanage. I'm a firebender, except I've never had lessons or anything… I'm not strong, or even very good at it. But I don't like being in the orphanage. Bad things happen there."

Katara didn't press the issue, and just nodded as they silently made their way up the stairs to her apartment. It was only then that she recalled the boy and his mother in her home, and rifled through her pockets. The licorice root wasn't there- it must have fallen out when she was taken to the ground by the kidnapper.

But nailed to her door was a small black bag, the drawstring hung over the nail, swinging slightly in the breeze. She felt her stomach plummet, then snatched it and opened it, finding the root in the bag, along with a few coins. She silently thanked the Blue Spirit, knowing it couldn't have been anyone else, then opened her door, sending Lani to her bedroom to wait.

The boy was still burning up, but his mother waited at his bed, her hands folded and tears streaking down her hollow cheeks. Katara pulled her hood up and immediately began crushing the root, mixing it with thyme and some other herbs. The mother watched her blankly.

Suddenly the young man gasped, his eyes flashed open and he arched off the couch, and she leapt towards him, trying to hold him down.

"You're okay, shhh…" Her comforting words seemed to have an effect on him, and she supported the back of his head, trying to get him more comfortable. His eyes opened again, and a strong sense of déjà vu struck her- this was strangely like the time she'd discovered Aang in the iceberg. She fleetingly wondered if he was alright, if he still thought about her- maybe even worried about her. Then, the moment passed, and she had to get back to the present.

Katara worked until the boy was stable, and handed the woman the rest of her fever paste and the coins she'd found on her door. "Take him to a doctor, and pay with these. Keep his fever down by feeding him this, follow it with honey if you have it to help it go down easier. If the doctor can't see him, bring him back… but stay outside."

The woman reached forward and touched her cloaked shoulder, tears brimming once more in her eyes. "You are an angel sent down to help us," she said quietly, then bowed to her and pulled her son's arm over her shoulders, helping him down the stairs.

She closed the door and checked in on Lani, who was sleeping soundly on the floor next to her bed, like an innocent little puppy. A wave of nurturing swept through her, and she leaned against the door. Maybe she could send the child to Iroh in Ba Sing Se- then, she could have a job at the tea shop, and get lessons from the Dragon of the West himself. Maybe she'd even become a master, as Zuko had been.

Katara gasped at the shiver which ran down her spine- it had been such a long time since she'd let herself think about him. His face blossomed in her mind, and she felt tears clogging her eyes, clouding her vision. She tried to push the sorrow down, but this time, it was accompanied by a rush of anger.

No one had ever explained how he died- no one even seemed to know, not even the crew he'd taken to Ba Sing Se. And even though it was two years later, she hadn't moved on. They hadn't _let_ her, it was like no one even cared that she'd been hurting until it was too late for them to find her.

But she knew that wasn't true- they'd been so far away, and maybe she hadn't given them the chance to help her. She'd done that with Zuko all those years ago- hadn't trusted him enough to know that he was a good man, and then hadn't trusted herself enough to let the feelings reveal themselves.

Katara sighed and sat down, letting the hurt come out and greeting it like a stranger, even though it was more familiar to her than her own face. It sat beside her and wrapped its cold arms around her, consuming every light inside and dripping ice from its breath.

"I can't do this anymore," she said quietly, and felt the feeling withdraw slightly as an idea formed in her mind. The hole from Zuko's death had never closed- maybe because she'd never been able to let go of the hope that she could change what had happened.

She knew she'd never move on unless she found out exactly what happened. The idea scared her, but she felt a certain adrenaline push through her, making her fingertips tingle. She was tired of hiding, tired of suppressing her bending and living in the shadows, haunted by darkness and demons.

It was high time she moved into the light.

Suddenly, the walls around her didn't feel safe, they felt constricting. She checked on Lani again and locked the door behind her as she left her home, flying across the rooftops as she had earlier that same night, but with a new fervor. The sun was just beginning to lighten the sky to the east, and the darkness began to disappear as she moved into the busy streets of a city just beginning to wake. She knew she must be crazy, since she should be home in bed, but the night was thriving as she longed to do and she needed to find the person she was when all of this started.

There was soon a crowd in the marketplace, sturdy women eying her suspiciously as she moved from booth to booth, smelling the wares and wishing she'd brought money. She wandered around as the sun peeked over the horizon, then went into a small shop and selected a few cloths for bandages and burns, promising the woman she'd pay later as she always did.

It happened when she was walking out of the shop. One second, she was smiling and happy, and the next, her eyes were fixated on a man who stood facing away from her. His short black hair was messy and he stood tall, with regal posture. He turned, and she gasped.

It was Zuko, except with one monumental difference- both his eyes were fine, his skin unmarred by the scar she'd memorized. She walked towards him like she was in a daze, not able to feel her legs, just knowing she had to get to him. But he turned, began walking away.

"Zuko!" she cried, beginning to run as he was lost in the crowd. She shoved people out of her way, ignoring their surprised cries, needing to find him- he was _alive,_ everyone was wrong. Everything was all better, she could feel it in her chest like a supernova exploding and shattering all the doubts she'd kept.

But he didn't turn around to look at her. He didn't react at all, and she searched for him, trying to keep the man in sight as people came between them. "No," she murmured, not willing to believe she'd lost him. He had to be close still; even Zuko wasn't that fast.

She ran onto another street, seeing virtually no one. He might have gone the other way. She stalked down the side street, turning right, then left, listening hard and thinking she heard something, doubling back as doubt once again plagued her thoughts.

She _was _crazy. She was looking for ghosts, and wasn't going to find anything- her head had been so full of memories about Zuko that she'd pinned his features to some random person. Disappointment left a bitter taste in her mouth, but she continued to walk, trying to outrun the sadness, wondering just what was wrong with her. Everyone had moved on- Mai had just married some nobleman, Azula was busy running a country, and last thing she knew from Aang was that he was happily rebuilding his home. Everyone was- Sokka and Suki, whose child had to be around a year and a half old by now, her father, returning to a skeleton of a village he'd left thriving.

It wasn't fair.

Her sleepless night began to catch up with her, and she finally sat on a curbside, her head between her knees and her shoulders hunched over. The despair clawed at her throat, but she swallowed it down, feeling it rot in her stomach instead.

A slight clinking sound made her head shoot up, and she once again stared into the black eyes of the Blue Spirit.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, her voice hoarse. There wasn't an answer (there never was) and she suddenly felt angry for no good reason. She stood, turning away from him. "Just leave me alone, okay? I know it's your personal missions to make sure I'm never hurt until you do it yourself, but I need a break today. I just… I don't understand."

She turned back and saw the figure walking away from her steadily, and the rage spiked. "So you just show up to taunt me and leave? You never even say anything! Why are you doing this?" The demon kept walking. She followed, raging at his retreating back, wishing she was strong enough to pull water from a twisted old tree and knock him down.

She noticed the swords strapped to his back, and suddenly got an idea. Without any warning, she ran forward, grabbed the handles and flipped over the man, running with the heavy weapons firmly tucked under her arm. "Come and get them!" she yelled back, then dived down a side aisle and turned around with the Dao swords drawn. She'd never been trained, but how hard could it be?

The Blue Spirit darted towards her, and she slashed at him, watching him fall back. "Why don't you tell me to give them back?" she taunted him, stepping out of his reach again. "Come on, talk!" Her burst of adrenaline had given her an idea, and with an insane effort she pulled tainted water from a drain and held it above her, somewhat precariously with the swords still in hand.

"I'll slice these swords unless you talk," she announced, and watched as the Blue Spirit froze, seemingly gazing at her. Her breaths were coming shorter now as exhaustion filtered through her system, but she couldn't relent- not until she won.

So it came as no surprise when she wasn't fast enough to stop him as he vaulted over her head, through the water she'd summoned, and wrapped his arms around her from behind, immobilizing her own arms and the swords she held. She could feel the heat coming off him in waves, and felt the pull of his breath as his chest rose and fell against her back.

It had been so long since anyone had been this close to her- she stopped moving, giving herself over to the shock, feeling the iron muscles flex beneath his clothes as he walked them backwards into the shadows. She wasn't afraid- far from it. She was intrigued, wishing she knew what lay under the mask.

His gloves hands slid over her forearms, making her shiver, and then grasped her wrists firmly. She could feel the cool surface of the mask against the back of her head and her neck, and the sensations drove her insane. She didn't resist when he turned her wrists, making her drop his weapons.

He spun them around and pushed her forward into the wall, and by the time she turned around, he was crouching on the ground with his swords one again in their sheath on his back. She knew the mask hadn't changed, but suddenly felt as if he was smirking at her.

"Fine," she said nonchalantly, "you win tonight. I'm going home now… shit." She hadn't been paying attention to where she'd been running, and she knew it would take energy she didn't have to find her way back. She looked around, but the buildings were too tall for her to easily get onto a roof.

But the Blue Spirit shook his head and stood up, jumping on top of a box and climbing the stack until he could reach up and grasp the rim of the roof. He pulled himself up steadily, something she knew was difficult without a lot of muscle, then peeked over the edge. She followed him up onto the boxes, allowing him to pull her onto the roof as well. For just a moment she lay next to him on the red shingles, with his arm wrapped underneath her body to help her over the edge- but it was enough to make her blush when he slowly rolled away and knelt, looking away from her. They stood at the same time, as if something inside them tied their motions together.

He pointed somewhere in the distance, and she squinted, just barely making out the familiar banner of the bath house down the road from her apartment. The sun was a round disk above the ocean now, two elements combining without destroying each other.

The two people stood in silence for just a moment more, and she turned to her savior. "Thanks," she said grudgingly, and watched as he turned and ran, leapt through the air and landed on the rooftop opposite of her. She went her own way over the houses, sliding down the arches and occasionally falling with a curse or two.

Still, she made it home faster than she would have, climbing up the steps numbly and dragging herself through sheer willpower down the hallway to her home.

Nailed to her door was a note in an unfamiliar hand- "That's twice tonight. Be more careful." She growled and snatched it off her door, unlocking it and making her way into her bedroom. She leaned under the bed and felt for her mother's necklace, pulling it out and gazing at it. The ribbon had fallen apart a while ago, and she'd bought a silver chain for it instead. The blue waves shimmered as she pulled the chain over her head, looking in the small mirror at the woman she didn't recognize anymore- except for her eyes and her necklace, Katara was a stranger. She sighed, and tucked the necklace inside her collar, collapsing on the bed and instantly falling into a deep sleep.

With every breath, the Blue Spirit's face leered at her, but instead of feeling terrified, Katara shifted in her sleep and smiled.

There were no nightmares when her demon was guarding her dreams.

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><p><strong>Guardian Demon, because a guardian angel is so last year :P Hope you enjoyed this. When it comes to the people she left behind, Katara feels like it's just better for them to know that she's safe, but not be able to find her. She's sort of a trouble maker, and doesn't want her family and friends involved. <strong>

**Please review :)**


	5. The Hunt

**I would like to thank everyone for all of the reviews, and I would like to thank snarkhunter for giving me a verbal slap to the face and helping me to remember that holding a story hostage is not only bad manners, but extremely low. Thanks guys!**

**Anyways, here's the fifth chapter, I hope you guys like it. Please continue to review.**

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><p>Chapter Five<br>The Hunt

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><p>In three weeks, it would be August 23rd- the three year anniversary of Sozin's Comet, the end of the war, and Zuko's ascent to the throne. Katara heard stories everywhere she went- happy mothers and wives thanking Agni for bringing their soldiers home, veterans describing where they had been during the Fall of Ozai, and shop owners advertising specials in honor of the date.<p>

She hated it.

Everything was just another sharp reminder of everything she'd lost. She was a war hero to some, and a traitorous villain to others. This time of year, she should be celebrating with her brother and his wife, and all their friends. Instead, she was racing around the city, going back in time to unravel the present.

She was walking along the street in Fool's City, looking for the library she'd been to so long ago to research the Blue Spirit. Her purpose was different today, and she had a sneaking suspicion that it would be harder to find this information.

She looked up from beneath her hood, spotting the distinctive pillars that decorated the front of the library. She walked in the doors, taking in the musty scent of the old books and going to the front counter. There was a wizened old woman behind the desk, reading glasses perched precariously on the very edge of her nose.

"I was wondering if you had any recent books of Fire Nation history, or newspapers," she asked quietly, and the woman squinted.

"You're gonna have to talk louder dearie, I've been around a long time and my ears aren't what they used to be!" she shouted, and Katara flinched back, surprised by the old hag's screechy voice.

"I want to look up some recent-" she started, and the old lady interrupted.

"Good Spirits, young woman, take that damn hood off and speak up!" Katara resisted the urge to throttle the little old lady, gripping the counter and shoving her face right next to the librarian's ear.

"I NEED INFORMATION ABOUT FIRE LORD ZUKO!" she bellowed, and the lady cracked a smile.

"Now we're getting somewhere! Follow me, and for Agni's sake take off the hood, you look like a hoodlum and I don't allow that riffraff into my library!" She walked around the desk and grabbed Katara's wrist with a surprisingly firm hand, pulling her down an aisle.

Finally they made it to a small section with new scrolls stacked haphazardly along the shelves. The lady stood on a stool, grabbed a couple and threw them at Katara- she ducked to avoid getting knocked out, and again the woman gave her the evil eye.

"Not too coordinated, are you? You must have some Earth Kingdom blood in you somewheres, I hear those rock benders are clunkier than my digestive system!" She cackled and wheezed, bent over as Katara stepped back with a look of disgust. The librarian got down from her stool, pinched her swiftly on the cheek and wished her luck with her research, hobbling back to the front desk.

She watched her go, then turned and muttered to herself, "Old bat."

"What did you say?" the woman shouted, and Katara sighed, rolling her eyes.

"Nothing!" she shouted back, and shook her head in derision. Crazy old people.

She sat down on a rickety chair and pulled a scroll open, losing herself in her task. There wasn't an author specified on the paper, but it had been written only a year ago, about the Fall of Ozai. It was entitled "The Phoenix: A Final Fall" and there was a drawing of Ozai as the Phoenix King on the day of Sozin's Comet. She stared into the eyes of the man she hated, seeing Zuko's features hardened into a cruel face, and wondered what he'd look like now if he was still alive. She would never know.

She skipped through the events of the day, already knowing exactly what had happened. She saw her name in one section, and blushed, moving on quickly after noticing that the author described her as 'a warrior princess full of grace, beauty and a fierce temperament'.

Finally, she made it past the events of that day, and scoured the print, stopping every time she saw Zuko's name. Most of it was about the peace councils he had kept, although there was a small section about him and Mai- she tried (and failed) not to smile when she read that he 'stiffly proposed to the Lady Mai, who in turn, stiffly accepted the proposal and showed no delight, as was characteristic for the noblewoman'.

She unrolled the scroll a bit more, and found the words staring up at her. Her breath caught in her throat- finally, after so much time not knowing. She brought her face closer to the paper, mouthing the words as she read them.

"On April 16th, Fire Lord Zuko died on a return passage from an unknown location in the Earth Kingdom. It is believed that his ship was stranded on a reef, and that he perished whilst making sure that his fellow seamen made it safely onto the life rafts."

She froze. She read the words again.

It is believed.

It is believed.

It is _believed_.

Before she knew what she was doing, she threw the scroll against the wall with an outraged cry, standing up and sweeping the rest of the documents off the small table. This couldn't be happening- all she had was an uncertain idea of how he'd died, once again, no one was sure. Disappointment tasted metallic, and she swallowed it down.

She was fed up, and turned to leave the library just as the old hag from the front counter came barreling down the aisle. "What do you think you're doing, you brat? Pick up those scrolls, and don't bother coming back if all you're going to do is disrespect the-"

Katara walked right past her, rage pushing her forward. No one knew what had happened to Zuko or his crew, except he'd died to save them. That was all the information she could find. It was useless, and now she didn't even _have_ a lead, nowhere to go for any information at all. It was just stupid to think she'd be able to-

She stopped in her tracks, her eyes wide open but unseeing. Something pinged in the back of her mind, and the world narrowed until all she could feel was the space behind her. She revolved and walked to the wall, ignoring the woman as she picked up the wrinkled scroll.

"He perished whilst making sure his fellow seamen made it safely onto the life rafts…"

She looked towards the woman, color rising in her face as she felt her body burn with anticipation. "I need a list of the people Fire Lord Zuko took with him into the Earth Kingdom on his last trip."

The lady snorted. "Hell no! You come in here searching for something that should be ignored, and throwing my knowledge around like some uncivilized spoiled _cow_! Animals belong on the street, not in a house of learning! Get out, and don't come back if-"

"Listen, you old witch, I don't care what you think or what you say- you're going to help me figure this out of it's that last thing you do! I'm so damn tired of people pretending like everything is okay. Look around you! What do you see, prosperity and joy? No! There are people suffering, and if you truly care for 'learning and knowledge' like you say you do, you'll help me!"

Katara closed her mouth, realizing too late that she was screaming in the old woman's face. For a moment, she thought the hag was having a heart attack- her eyes bugged out and she opened and closed her mouth like a dying fish. But then she narrowed her eyes, looking her over. A wry smile spread her lips open, revealing crooked teeth. She coughed out a chuckle.

"Finally, you're speaking up. Stay here."

"What?" _Did I miss something?_ she wondered, and the librarian snorted again and walked away. Minutes later she was back with a huge stack of papers, which she slammed down on the table.

"These are the lists of every member of the Royal navy from the last five years. Your guys will belong to the Fifty-Third Regimen, part of the Dragon Fleet. Good luck finding one that's still alive!" The woman marched back to her desk with a knowing look, and Katara sighed, flipping through the first couple of pages and being shocked by the amount of information that was recorded about everyone.

**Name**: Li Torko  
><strong>Age<strong>: 60 (now deceased)  
><strong>Bender<strong>: Fire  
><strong>HeightWeight**: 6'1" 240  
><strong>Years of Service<strong>: 35  
><strong>Ships and Positions<strong>: Thirteenth Battalion, _Agni's Thorn_, 15 years. Stern master. Ten year long tours in Earth Kingdom, ranging from Omashu (most recent) to Kakai Tan. Forty-Second Battalion, Third Regimen. _The Sea Serpent_, 6 years. Stern master. Four years between raiding ships and Earth Kingdom cities.  
><strong>Family<strong>: Wife, 58, lives in Azulania (formerly known as Whale Tail Island). Two sons, 34 and 23, fisherman and blacksmith.  
><strong>Current Whereabouts<strong>: Deceased

Two hours later, she had her list. There were thirty four men on the paper she held, six of them deceased and eleven of them in prison for war crimes. At the top of the page was Captain Ju Huan, listed as an active member of the Navy, and living only minutes away from where she stood now.

The sky was just beginning to darken when she found herself in a shady little apartment building much like her own, staring at a roughly hewn door and gathering her thoughts before she raised her hand and knocked twice. The moon was round and heavy in the sky, and she had her pouches of water tucked under the cloak she wore. She'd decided to leave her mother's necklace on, the pendant tucked inside her clothing for safe keeping and the replaced by a long leather strand.

There wasn't an answer, and she knocked two more times before she heard a window open to her right. "He's not home," a woman shouted, and Katara went over, being careful to keep her face hidden.

"Where would I find him, then?" she asked, trying to make her voice lower in case she had to come back.

"Try the nearest bar, see if he's gotten kicked out yet. Whatever business you have with him, you might want to get to it before he drinks himself to death." The window shut, and she sighed, walking away from the building and following her ears to a large crowded bar. There were shouts from inside, but at nineteen years old, she was still too young to enter. She'd have to wait for him outside.

Katara moved some crates around and crouched behind them, leaning against the wall and once more looking at the caricature she'd found in the Navy files. Ju Huan was older, with puffy eyes and a crooked nose, but no other distinguishing features. The notes said he was six feet tall and around two hundred pounds- she hoped he wouldn't be violent, because she stood at exactly five feet six inches, and he had about seventy five pounds on her.

It was dark and humid by the time she was jolted into attention by the bar doors swinging open. A man landed hard on the ground as people laughed from within, and she ducked between crates, watching as he picked himself up. He was tall, but looked too skinny. Then, he squinted up at the lantern, mumbling something under his breath, and she recognized the asymmetrical features.

She followed him silently as he stumbled down the street, waiting until they were further away from the lights and noise. He didn't seem to know where he was going, and she felt a certain pity for the man who behaved like a lost child.

It reminded her of when she and Zuko had gone after the Southern Raiders, except this man was much less of a challenge, and the wrath in her body wasn't directed at him- yet.

He fell to his knees, and she leapt from behind the fence she'd been trailing, her arms outstretched to take her fall. He reacted surprisingly fast, kicking out at her with a startled yell and blasting the night with fire just as she rolled out of the way. She pulled the water out of her pouch and wrapped it around his wrists, flinging him to the ground and pinning him there with ice. He yelled again, but she was upon him, her hand on his mouth.

"I won't hurt you unless you force me to," she said, somewhat shocked by the dark tone of her voice. It was sinister, but something inside her told her that this way, he'd listen closer. "I need information from you. If you don't give it to me tonight, I will continue to hunt you down until you do. Am I clear?"

He nodded, his eyes already leaking tears, and she backed off, melting the water from him and letting him sit up. She opened her mouth, but he bolted in a drunken flee, not even making it three steps before water caught him by the ankles and pulled him up against the wall, freezing him there.

"What do you want?" he gasped, and she got right to the point, not knowing how much longer she could do this. Every lesson she'd ever learned told her to help the man home, heal his wounds and nurture him back to health- but the world she lived in didn't allow that. She couldn't.

"How did Fire Lord Zuko die?" she asked, and watched the color drain from his face. His eyes slid to the left of her as he struggled to keep her in focus. He shook his head.

"I don't know." Katara bit her lip, then tried a different track.

"What were you doing when the boat sank?" she asked, and he looked at her quizzically.

"What boat?" he asked. She told him the name of the ship Zuko had travelled on, and he frowned. "That ship never sank. We made it into harbor safely, I don't know what you're talking about!"

"Then how did Zuko die?" she yelled, losing her patience and stepping towards him.

"You're a friend of Azula's, aren't you?" he muttered, and she nodded, thinking the intimidation factor would give her an edge. He hung his head, his shoulders shaking, and she stepped forward curiously. His head snapped up, and he roared in fury, pressing forward until the ice shattered, his hands around her throat. "_Murderer!"_ he screamed, and she kicked him in the stomach, rolling away and whipping him, panic slowing the seconds and giving her time to respond.

"Wait!" she said, and once again froze him to the ground. "I'm not, okay, I just said that because I thought it might get answers! I'm sorry. I don't know what else to do." Ju Huan stared at her suspiciously, then hunched over and threw up, moaning as she recoiled.

"You need to tell me everything you know," she ordered, then frowned as an idea blossomed in the back of her mind. "Or maybe you could get into the palace somehow and get the information I need- say you're making a report or something."

He snorted. "I haven't been in the palace in years. You don't know, do you?" She shook her head, baffled by his bitter tone. "The crew was fired as soon as we made it back to the Fire Nation, for unlawful conduct. Some of us were thrown in jail for war crimes, even though the war had been over for months. None of us understood it, so a couple went to the palace and tried to see our commanding officer. We were banned."

"What about Zuko?" she asked, and he shook his head with a grimace.

"I don't know anything about that, lady, I don't remember! Don't even bother looking for the rest of the crew, either- I've tried to find them, they're all gone. Neighbors don't know anything, they left their kids and wives behind." He met Katara's horrified gaze, and said evenly, "I doubt that anyone but me is still alive."

She thought back to the seventeen crew members who were either imprisoned or dead, and felt a shiver skitter up her spine. "Why would they be dead?" she whispered. He looked at her for a long time, and when he spoke again, his voice was unbearably tired.

"Lady, if you keep digging around like this, you might as well be digging your own grave while you're at it. Leave. This. Alone."

"I can't," she spat harshly, then strode forward and gripped his hair, melting the ice and swirling water around his neck. She hated this, but knew it had to be done. He sputtered, but didn't struggle as she cut off his air supply, and his eyes rolled back into his head.

She watched as he keeled over onto the ground, moaning quietly. She knelt down by his ear. "This is a dream, Ju Huan. By the time you wake up tomorrow, you won't remember me, or what we talked about. This is a dream," she repeated, and saw him finally lose consciousness. She stood up, looking down at a ruined man with tears gathering in her eyes.

"Why don't you remember Zuko?" she asked him, and only the howling wind answered her.

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><p><strong>Here's another thing- on the off chance someone reading this likes drawing, or is really good at art or whatever, if you are inspired by this and draw something or whatever, let me know and I'll post the link to your art in an Author's Note. Please review! Thanks for reading.<strong>

**-Aleina**


	6. The Visitor

**Hello, readers! Thanks for all of the positive comments, as well as the many reviews encouraging me to 'let her know that Zuko is the Blue Spirit'. But here's my question.**

**What makes you so sure that Zuko **_**is**_** the Blue Spirit?**

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><p>Chapter Six<br>The Visitor

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><p>She trudged up the stairs, moaning quietly as her muscles screamed in protest. She had gone soft after a couple of years, and getting tackled by a fully grown drunkard had shown her just how much work she had to do. Her arms already felt like uncooked squid, and she thought she might have pulled a muscle in her back when she was trying to whip Ju Huan.<p>

But it didn't matter, she was home now. It was dark outside, she had no clue what time it was, but at least she could go undress, crawl beneath the covers and sleep for the next three months. Katara was just beginning to feel better when she came to the top of the stairs… and saw a light coming from her apartment, the door cracked open.

Ice flooded through her veins- she always locked the door, always. The wind couldn't have blown it open, because the door was sheltered. Someone was inside her home without her permission. She heard a low voice, and stiffened, pulling water from her pouches as venom dripped through her thoughts. She wouldn't ask questions.

She heard a high voice shriek, and gasped. Lani was inside the house.

"No!" she whispered vehemently, then moved forward, her fingers tense with the weight of her water, ready to attack whoever put the little girl in danger.

The door opened, and Lani poked her head out, a big smile on her face. "Katara, come inside! You'll never believe who's here!"

"Shh!" she hissed, looking around for any open windows. But it was late, and her neighbors seemed to be asleep- she'd kept her identity a secret, and she'd told Lani never to call her by name. She thanked the spirits that the girl was smart enough to comply (usually) and had been happy to get her a job downstairs in the tea shop. She'd been working for two weeks, and already was earning more money than she was from all her healing. Katara had sent a letter to Iroh as soon as she had shown up, asking if the girl could come live with him.

She stepped inside the room cautiously. Lani was clever, but too many people were manipulative- and that made all the difference. Her hands were still in front of her, and she saw a man facing the opposite wall.

She barely had time to register the blue tattoos before he turned around with a wide smile and catapulted himself at her, wrapping her up in a bear hug and lifting them both into the air with a delighted shout. "Katara!"

"Aang?" she gasped when he put her down, "What are you doing here? How did you find me?" He sat down as she collapsed onto the couch, and leaned back to take her in.

"It wasn't easy. You really worried everyone… but I found you," he added when she looked down in guilt, "and that's what matters."

She looked at him in fascination- he'd grown up so much since the last time she'd seen him- then again, he'd been about to turn fifteen at the time, and now he was seventeen. He'd sprouted up, and was taller than her for the first time. He was still bald, but had grown a chestnut goatee on his chin, and the planes of his face had widened and matured, giving him a manlier look instead of seeming as childlike as he acted.

And from what she could tell, his vegetarian diet and the work he'd been doing on the temple was doing his body good.

"What have you been doing for the past two years that required you going underground, Katara? You have no idea… we all thought you were dead until we finally got your letters." She shifted in her seat, wondering how much to tell him.

"I'm sorry I worried you guys… I just had some things to figure out, and I knew some of you might not understand. Azula's ruined everything. Zuko was getting the nations together, and wanted people to be safe and happy, but all that little brat wants is money and power. Everyone is afraid of her, but no one is willing to help each other."

"Until you came along as the Painted Lady, that is," he said with a knowing smile. She felt her jaw drop, and stared at him in disbelief. "I've been in this city for almost two weeks searching for you, and just a couple of days ago I heard some ladies talking about the mysterious healer called the Painted Lady. I figured it had to be you, so I told someone I had a deadly disease and they told me to come here!"

She raised her eyebrow. "What kind of deadly disease?" she wondered aloud, and he pulled up the sleeve of his orange tunic, displaying oddly familiar dots which spread out like stars along his skin.

"Remember when we went to Omashu and used the pentapuses- pentapi- whatever, to make it look like there was an epidemic? I just did that again!" He grinned widely, then jumped a bit and started rifling through a worn leather pack lying on the floor by his feet. "I almost forgot, here are some letters from everyone!"

"Aang," she asked, looking through the scrolls with urgency, "how did you get these?" He didn't answer, and she looked up from the letters to see him staring contemplatively at her. His grey eyes searched her own, and she felt a tug of affection for the boy she'd freed from the iceberg so long ago. He put his hand over hers, and she flinched.

"Katara, I've been looking for you for the past year." She hadn't expected that, but he went on, "About a year after you disappeared, I got tired of waiting for you to resurface- I had to know if you were okay. I went to all the places we'd been, the South Pole, Ba Sing Se, even Hai Bai's forest, but you were never there and no one remembered seeing you. I never thought you would still be here, not after Zuko… well, after Azula became Fire Lord. But I saw Iroh not too long ago, and he said that there might be some records of your whereabouts in the public offices of Ember Island. I was already there when I got a black ribbon letter from Iroh.

He said he got a letter from you, and that it was from your old address in Caldera. I knew you had to be here, so I came to look for you. I knew you were okay, but…" he looked into her eyes once more, and she felt a rush of sympathy for his struggles, "I had to see you."

She blushed, and pulled her hand away from his. She looked at the letters instead- there was one from Sokka and Suki, a larger scroll from her father, another from Toph and two from Iroh. She ripped open the smaller one and read Iroh's fine handwriting- if she sent Lani to Ba Sing Se, he would train her and look after her. He also added that his offer of help still stood, and that if she ever wanted to reminisce with an old man, his door was always open. She blinked back tears, overwhelmed with a longing for company.

She'd given up so much- a house with a view, a position as an ambassador in court, and most of all, her friends and family. She'd left them waiting, and she knew it.

"Aang," she said quietly, "I'm sorry."

He gave her a hug and then leaned away, not knowing the boundaries anymore. She could tell he was yearning for what they'd had, but she was a different person now. She couldn't pretend anymore.

"What I don't understand is why you had to hide, Katara. I get that you wanted to help people, but why couldn't you have come to the temples with me, or gone with Toph? Were you just tired of us?"

She gasped and looked at him, incredulous. "What? That's crazy! I just needed… I knew Azula would make everything worse, and I just couldn't leave these people to fend for themselves. Toph was helping her people, you were helping yours, and-"

"You were helping yours?" The words were like a slap to the face, and she was right on the brink of snapping back defiantly- _yes, they are, Aang-_ when he said, "You left your people, Katara."

"Don't give me that," she retorted. "For an Avatar, you aren't making me feel as if we're all connected or whatever that spiritual stuff means. All this talk about yours and mine, it's…" She sighed, and suddenly all the anger just left her. "I'm sorry. I don't want to fight with you; things have just been really… hectic."

He nodded and smiled hopefully, letting her know she was forgiven. He always forgave her, it was who he was. "What's been so hectic?" he asked, and she hesitated a moment.

"Do you know how Zuko died?"

He frowned, thinking it over, then shaking his head. She thought for a moment. "Neither do I. And come to think of it, no one else does, either. I still have Mai's letter- she just said he died, no details or anything. And it was never mentioned in any announcements, or books. All I could find was a speculation about him maybe dying in a shipwreck. But I talked to someone from the crew, who told me he didn't remember Zuko at all- it was like something was blocking his head, he got really agitated and-"

"Like Jet?" Aang asked, and she fell silent, her eyes going out of focus as she was taken over by memories. He'd been confused and panicky. He'd shown disorientation, and strange behavior. Jet had been brainwashed to forget everything about Lake Laogi.

"Spirits," she gasped out, then ran to the door, wrenching it open and fleeing to the banister, taking deep breaths as her head swirled sickeningly.

It was Azula, it had always been Azula. She'd brought the Dai Li in to make the crew forget about Zuko. Some were imprisoned- maybe the ones who didn't cooperate. Some were killed- maybe the hypnosis was wearing off. _Ju Huan, _she thought, _where are you? _

"Katara, are you okay?" Lani stood in the doorway, soon joined by Aang. They wore matching expressions of concern.

"I'm fine," she forced out, going back inside and struggling to stay calm. Azula had killed her brother for the throne. She'd brought Azula back from the edge of insanity. It was her fault that Zuko was just a pile of ashes. She whimpered and wrapped her arms around herself, trying to swallow the hole inside.

She couldn't tell Aang why she'd stayed in Caldera- Zuko was still real here. She could wander the streets and remember talking with him, laughing with him. She could look up at the palace and remember long meetings followed by quiet moments by the turtle duck pond.

But now, she wasn't so sure the city was her paradise. It had become a cage in a matter of seconds, and Azula was the one who had put the bars around her. She had to fix things before they got worse, it was the only way.

"Aang, I need to talk to you- Lani, please go to bed, it's too late. Sleep on my bed tonight, I'll be there in a bit." The girl nodded and hugged her waist before running into the bedroom and closing the door. Katara sat down and told Aang everything that had just passed through her mind about Azula being the one to orchestrate her own brother's death. His expression grew somber as the night wore on.

"We need to get her off the throne, just tell everyone what you've discovered!" he said, but she shook her head.

"It's not that easy! She hasn't left behind any evidence at all, even if we manage to trace this to the Dai Li, they could have been acting on their own or something!"

"The three year anniversary of the end of the war is coming up next week, Katara, people have endured enough already and-"

"Don't act like you know how it's been here!" she cried, "You've been in the temples meditating and teaching On Ji and Longshot and spirits know who else how to connect with their religion!" An aching silence followed her words, and he wouldn't look her in the eye.

"That was out of line, I'm sorry," she muttered, and he just nodded. She pressed on, "I need to find out exactly how he died, and I need to tell as many people as possible, try to get Azula off the throne. Maybe Iroh will come back until someone can find another heir…"

"I'll stay with you," he said gently, "I left On Ji in charge of the temple, and I really trust her. She's a beautiful person." Something changed in his tone when he talked about her, and Katara felt herself begin to wonder if she'd imagined the longing in his eyes earlier.

"She's nothing compared to you, though," he said, and nuzzled her shoulder teasingly. She wrapped her arm around him as a blue demon masked flittered through her mind's eye.

"Aang…?" she started, and heard him mumble something. There was a pause, and she sighed. "Nothing, never mind. We should get to bed." He sat up and nodded, then put his arms around her and hugged her again, holding the water bender into his chest and burying his face in her hair.

"I'm so glad I found you, Katara. I missed you." She felt tears brimming in her eyes, and bit her lip, hugging him tightly, marveling at how he'd grown. The worst feeling in the world was knowing he felt so strongly for her, and knowing she couldn't give it back.

"Good night," she whispered, and left the room, feeling his eyes on her back as she closed her bedroom door behind her and leaned against it, holding back the whimpers until she was sure she could silently cry. The tears slipped down her cheeks as she undressed and got into bed with Lani, wearing her white sleeping shift. The girl mumbled something and rubbed her face with a small hand before turning over and putting her sweaty palm against Katara's neck.

"Mama," she murmured, and Katara stiffened, then relaxed and shushed her gently, letting the girl fall back asleep. She stroked her brown hair as she thought about what she'd just done- it had been the perfect opportunity to tell Aang about the other reason she stayed in Caldera- the Blue Spirit.

But she hadn't. Maybe she didn't want him to worry about her being stalked by a masked vigilante. Or maybe she just wanted to keep the man to herself- a little secret, something she could cherish alone. There was something about the enigmatic man who guarded her, the mystery which surrounded him. And when he'd fought her for the swords, she'd come closer to him than ever before- she couldn't stop thinking about it.

She thought about telling him of running after the man in the market who had looked like Zuko, but she thought it might be going too far- it was just a delusion, one that was best kept close to her heart. She heard a soft knock on the door and lifted her head to see Aang poking his head in.

"I know you're trying to get to sleep, but I think that we should go see Azula. She still has to be civil to us- maybe we could trick her into giving something away." Her stomach plummeted.

"That's a risky plan. Are you sure you want to go through with it? You could always go back to the other people in your temple. You don't have to go with me." His gaze softened, and she saw the love light up his eyes. She knew she was going to have to hurt him, and the thought alone was enough to make her tear up again.

"You should know better than anyone, Katara. I'd go to the end of the earth for you." And with that, he was gone, leaving her to fall asleep with the weight of the world pressed down on her heart.

The next morning dawned too early for her to comprehend. Lani shifted beside her and mumbled something about tea, and she sat up, shaking the girl gently.

Finally she opened her eyes, staring up at Katara blankly. "Time for you to get down to the tea shop, honey," she said, and Lani yawned. "But I wanted to talk to you about something. You told me you want to be a firebender, right?" She nodded sleepily, and Katara went on. "How would you feel about going to live with my uncle Iroh? He's a… family friend, and a very powerful bender. He's a master, and even had a reputation as being the Dragon of the West."

Lani's eyes widened. "You mean the ex-prince of the Fire Nation? The one who put a siege on Ba Sing Se but stopped, and then freed it after the war? Him?" She nodded, and Lani rocketed up with a squeal of joy. "How do you know him? My papa used to talk about him all the time, before…" she trailed off, looking uncertainly at Katara. "Is this because you don't want me around?" she asked, and Katara smiled gently, hugging the girl close.

"It's not that at all. I just want the best for you, and if you want to learn how to firebend, Iroh is willing to teach you, and give you a job in his tea shop." Lani agreed with a little grin, and rushed off to tell Aang, who'd become her new best friend over night.

"Remember to wash your hands before you go down to the shop!" Katara yelled after her, knowing she sounded like her mother and not being able to stop the smile from spreading across her face. All those years of looking after Sokka had paid off. She put a robe on and walked out of the room, bundling her brown hair around one shoulder and greeting Aang good morning, somewhat awkwardly. She wasn't used to having people around, and even though she'd known him for a long time, she was dreading the moment he brought up his feelings for her.

She saw Lani run out the front door, shutting it with a bang as Aang chuckled. "How old is she?" he asked, and Katara sat across from him at the rickety little table.

"She's seven. She got into a little trouble on the streets, and I saved her. She's been with me for a couple weeks, but I'm sending her to Iroh for an education."

He nodded, then leaned forward, blushing and rubbing the hair on his chin. "Katara, we need to talk. I looked for you for a long time, and now that I found you, I-" He broke off as the door slammed open to reveal Lani, trembling and pale faced. She rocketed forward and Katara caught her as the girl started sobbing.

"What is it? Lani, are you hurt? Tell me!" she begged, and the little girl looked up into her eyes, her whole body shaking and terror visible in her tears.

"There's a dead man outside," she whispered.

"Stay in the house," she heard herself command, and looked to Aang. He nodded wordlessly, scooping the girl up and taking her into the bedroom, talking to her in the low voice she remembered him using with Appa when the bison was startled. She raced out of the house, only just recalling the need to put on her cloak before people recognized her.

She could see a crowd gathering at the bottom of the stairs, and pushed her way through until she saw what had scared Lani so bad. She retched on the spot, looking into the faraway eyes of the dead man.

Ju Huan had been stabbed through the stomach and left to die. The red liquid had congealed around the wound, and pooled around his body. It was too big to be a knife wound, but it wasn't from bending, either- no burns, no crushed bones from earth bending. And she was the only water bender she knew of in town.

She looked at the crowd of people, wondering if they knew who the man was, but they showed nothing but horror and disgust. They couldn't have killed him.

Something caught her eye, and she zeroed in on the shadowed alley across the tea shop she stood in front of. There had been just the slightest glimmer, but she'd seen it. Her eyes strained to see through the darkness, but soon something stepped forward, throwing the figure into relief.

The Blue Spirit stared impassively at the scene- no, at _her. _His body was still, and his swords glinted off a rare beam of sunlight for just a moment before he drew back into the shadows, effectively disappearing. She felt rooted to the spot, horrified.

"What have you done?" she whispered, her words lost in the chaos of the murder.

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><p><strong>What are your thoughts? Who do you think the Blue Spirit is? And what do you think will happen when Aang and Katara go see Azula? Review!<strong>

**-Aleina**


	7. The Anniversary

**Sorry about the wait, guys, things have been pretty darn hectic. Please review more. **

**This chapter is dedicated to firelily1228 for her amazing review, and for not being afraid to pick apart my grammar and spelling. Also, big thanks to everyone who has reviewed or favorite- as well as the person who messaged me and told me they were working on a drawing of Katara fighting the Blue Spirit! I'm so excited, please finish it! And if anyone else wants to, that's great, just send me the link!**

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><p>Chapter Seven<br>Anniversary

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><p>Aang patted her shoulder as they came out of the slums and into the center of Fool's City. Everywhere she looked there were people laughing and celebrating the three year anniversary of the war ending, and small shops that had been set up overnight, selling little trinkets to commemorate the event. She was nervous anyways, but having to look around and see Zuko's face everywhere- it was killing her.<p>

He stared up from paintings set out on tables. He stood with his arms outstretched in a bending pose, frozen in a brass statue. He was in every cherry tree they passed, the gnarled, beautifully twisted branches looking so much like the scar she'd memorized. And she couldn't forget Azula's newest indignity- she'd had a huge tapestry unfolded in the town square, hanging from the library.

An artist had been commissioned months ago to depict Zuko's face in profile, his eyes downcast as he stared moodily off into the distance. His scar was emblazoned across the fabric in harsh reds and heavy pinks, outshining everything else. People who passed looked up, touched their own face subconsciously, and left, looking down in shame as they imagined what life would be like to have such a hideous injury.

Azula had gone even further, putting an inscription on the bottom of the portrait- _"Fire Lord Zuko was proud of his scar, and believed that everyone should look at it as a badge of his honor and sacrifice for his country. On this day, please remember him fondly, though he had so little time as your leader."_

Katara thought back to the few minutes she'd had with Zuko in the Crystal catacombs beneath Ba Sing Se. He'd accepted his scar, he knew that it didn't choose his destiny, but he hadn't liked having a constant reminder of his father's cruelty on his face. She'd spoken with him later, asking if she could try to heal it anyway, but he'd laughed.

"As the new Fire Lord, I think my main focus should be leading a country right now." She'd looked down, knowing he was right and wondering if she'd been foolish to say something. Seconds later, she'd felt his fingers pulling her chin up as he had looked her in the eye. "Thank you, Katara," he'd murmured.

She swallowed hard and let Aang lead her past the tapestry, ignoring the part of her that demanded the chance to summon water from the soil and slice the monstrosity to ruins. And then she would fight her way through the guards, into the palace, and show Azula she could still kick her scrawny, royal little-

"Katara, you're kind of crushing my arm," Aang whimpered, and she immediately let go of his forearm, noticing faint crescents from where her nails had dug into his skin. "I didn't mean you had to let go entirely," he said hastily, but she just smiled weakly and looked away awkwardly. He fell silent, and they made their way up to the gates of the palace. Azula was making a speech in a few minutes, when the sun was highest in the sky to symbolize the 'power of her superiority'.

Katara snorted. Aang gave her a strange look.

"Sorry," she muttered, and searched the crowd for the hundredth time since she'd left that morning. Just in case something happened, she'd told Lani to stay close, and the little girl was clinging to the back of her robe, her eyes as wide as tea cups.

There was a loud groaning, and she instinctively moved closer to Aang, watching as the brass gates swung open slowly. People began to migrate into the courtyard, but she stayed behind for just a moment. The last time she had been in this damned place, she'd been watching Zuko's coffin smoldering. The world seemed to grow narrow, and she took a deep, shuddering breath, wondering why she suddenly felt the need to be the only living thing around for miles.

The moment broke when Lani squealed in excitement and grabbed her hand.

"Come on, Kata- um, miss. I wanna see her!" Lani was still young enough to be excited by royalty, even if it was a tyrannical crazy woman. She pulled her through the gates and looked up at the balcony, eyes shining. Katara exchanged a glance with Aang, who raised his eyebrows and knelt next to Lani.

"Do you want to see a trick?" he asked her quietly, and Katara once again marveled at how deep his voice had become over the years. Then, she giggled quietly as he pulled out a few beads and spun them around in a circle between his hands- something he'd done ages ago, the first time they had met the Kyoshi warriors. Lani giggled in delight and jumped up and down, clasping her hands together.

"Charm bracelets for sale- one for every occasion and person- hello sir, would you like a charm bracelet for your wife, your little girl? Very affordable and durable, a keepsake for-" Aang interrupted the vendor, blushing.

"She's not my wife, and this is… my niece," he improvised, but she didn't miss the sidelong glance he threw her way. It was longing, embarrassed- something she took to mean as she hadn't been wrong in her suspicions. He still had feelings for her, even after all this time- something sweet and tenacious, like hard candy whose taste took hours to fade.

She wondered, then, why her mouth suddenly tasted so bitter.

Lani squealed and pointed up at the balcony as flames erupted and flickered violently. Azula stepped out, staring down at her citizens with satisfaction in every line of her face. Every move she made was confident, from flicking back her heavy bangs to grasping the edge of the balcony, ready to speak.

"People of the Fire Nation," she began, "today marks the three years since the Hundred Year War ended. Such a small amount of time, really, but filled with so much change that I barely recognize my own nation. We have always been a proud people, and have prided ourselves further with never lagging behind- not in war, and not in peace."

Her voice rang out as if it had been amplified by the grounds themselves, and Katara shivered, searching for the double meaning in her words- it was there, she just needed to remember- _Azula always lies. _

"So citizens who pride themselves on holding honor and morals in the highest regard, I have more to ask of you- what can you do for your nation? There are still war criminals everywhere- no doubt you have heard their names and the stories which accompany them. And while they still live, our nation is not yet as strong and wholesome as it could be. Taxes will be raised, and sacrifices will be made, but it is for the good of the nation, and in the end, we will be more powerful than before. We will seek out the traitors in the other nations, and we will exterminate them."

"No!" Katara gasped, shooting a look at Aang. He was horrorstruck- after so many years at war and so little time for peace, she was already planning on invading other nations for 'war criminals'? Had she forgotten that she'd been one as well? Murmurs rose up around them, ominous signs of conflict. Only one man leapt up onto a platform, shaking his fist openly at the monarch.

"Higher taxes? We have barely enough for our own lives, and certainly not for your foolish expenses! Make the rich pay, make them live like us!" His words were greeted with terrified glances and only a few brave people cheered. Azula smirked cruelly, and with one small twist of her wrists, guards were racing through the crowd towards the protestors, and people began to scream.

The world around them exploded when the first bursts of flame erupted.

"We should get out of here," Katara said urgently, trying to keep Lani from looking at the scene. The little girl just stared on with her big brown eyes, as if she couldn't tear her gaze from the men being hauled from the crowds. Fire blasted into existence, and the crowd moved as one long, chaotic wave- people moving back from the fight, others moving forward to join in, a sea of discontent. A man screamed as his arm was burned, his skin bubbling as he tried to put it out. Women cried and babies wailed, and Katara resorted to picking Lani up and muscling her way through the crowd, trusting Aang to follow. Lani buried her head in Katara's neck, sobbing quietly and pushing her fingers into her ears to block the sound of agony.

"It's okay, shh, it's okay," she soothed, frantic to leave. Aang put his hand on her shoulder and pulled her back just in time- flames singed the place she'd just been standing. He stepped in front of them and began to move his hands, sending spurts of air through the crowd. Not enough to hurt anyone, just enough to make them move out of the way. Cries went up as people recognized him.

"It's the Avatar! It's him, he's here to help!"

"Save us, for the sake of Agni, please help!"

The young man looked torn, then took in a deep breath. His tattoos flashed for just a moment, and he crouched down. Suddenly, he blasted up into the air, aiming straight for Azula's balcony.

"No!" Lani screamed, reaching out for him wildly. "Come back- _Aang! Come back!"_ Her hysterical cries shook Katara loose from her panic, and she put her hand over the girl's mouth.

"He'll come back, he's stopping the fight- be quiet Lani, you'll get us discovered before we get the chance to…" Her voice faded into nothing as she watched Aang land at Azula's side. He was gesturing wildly, and she was just staring at him with an amused little smile. She nodded once, and before Katara could even comprehend what had happened, Aang was back at her side, grabbing her arm tenderly.

"We need to move," he said, then grinned tightly at Lani, whose hand was wrapped in a death-lock around the fabric of his robes. "Did you miss me?" he asked easily, and held his arms out. Katara transferred the child into his grip, and he hoisted her onto his hip.

"I'll take her back to the house, Katara. But get over to the wall underneath the balcony, there will be a couple guards there and they'll keep a watch on you until I come back. We're going to have to change the plan a little bit." She nodded tightly, then leaned forward and kissed Lani on the forehead. She knew from experience that the girl wouldn't forget the terror of this day.

Katara only hoped that she also remembered strong, loving arms around her, keeping her safe.

As soon as she lost sight of the pair of them in the crowd, she turned and began the trek towards the front of the courtyard. The balcony was situated on the north wall, perpendicular to the burial platform which had stood two years ago. The fight had died down, the guards dragging injured or dead men from the courtyard as women and children lamented the loss. There were far less people in the space than there had been, but every time she saw someone pass her with a mild burn on their leg or a cut above their eye, she longed to stop and help them.

How had this happened? As Katara, she had healed villages and conquered discrimination. Then, she had acted as the Painted Lady, and had healed those who came to her for help. Now, she was once again the Master Waterbender and Princess of the Southern Water Tribe. And she could not heal those she passed, because someone might recognize her as the Painted Lady. She longed for just a moment to throw off the complexities and just help people. But times were different- she had a mission, and a little girl depending on her for a future.

In short, she had too much to lose by acting as a savior.

When had her life been turned so inside out, and cast in shadows? She had the answer, but she couldn't think about that now.

Katara hadn't been waiting at the wall long before Aang was back at her side. "I put Lani to bed for a little while and made sure she knew to stay in the house and act like no one was home. I also put some broken glass right after the front door, just as a precaution."

She was surprised- since when did Aang booby-trap places? Then again, he really did care about Lani. She watched as he stepped forward and bowed formally to a guard. "Avatar Aang and Master Katara respectfully request an audience with Fire Lord Azula." The guard looked them over once and then nodded, walking away for confirmation. They waited without talking, and though she felt his eyes on her, she only stared at her hands, trying to memorize the path her veins made beneath her skin. Soon the guard was back, and leading them into the palace.

They travelled down a dark hallway, dimly lit by torches, then climbed a set of spiraling stairs. She only realized how close she was to Aang when he reached down and slipped his hand into hers. It felt wrong, so Katara pulled away, trying not to notice the hurt look in his eyes, not even when he turned away with his shoulders hunched.

She began to recognize the hallways as they walked further into the labyrinthine palace, noting the small alcove where Zuko had told her everything he knew about his mother, tracing her fingertips over the banister they had once slid down only to be caught by a very disgusted Mai.

She giggled at the memory, but stopped when Aang turned and looked at her as if she had bugs crawling out of her ears. They entered the throne room, leaving the guards outside, and she was overcome by a tsunami of recollections.

"_I can only guess that this next list of supplies is going to be even longer than the last one." Zuko smiled wryly and slipped the ornament out of his hair, letting the dark locks cascade over his forehead. She smiled and ruffled his hair, gasping when he singed her wrist lightly and smacking him upside the head with a little block of ice to keep him in line._

"_Well, Dad sent another letter about what the tribe needs, so yeah." Katara pulled out a weathered note from the South Pole and showed it to Zuko. He read the contents swiftly, noting what should be sent on the next shipment to her homeland. His brow furrowed, and his mouth twisted up as he finished up the letter. _

_Her cheeks heated, remembering that her father had written a very personal end to a very business-like letter- 'We miss you Katara, and hope that you and Aang will further your relationship soon- it's about time I got a wedding invitation in the post. Love, your father.'_

"_So you and Aang are getting married? Why wasn't I invited?" Zuko teased, but she could tell the amount of effort it had taken for him to try to fool her. She knew he was engaged, knew that Mai was always going to be the one at his side, but she couldn't stop her mind from showing her scene after scene of her and Zuko together forever. The guilt washed over her, a familiar scent, but she needed to let him know that her feeling hadn't- and would never- change._

"_Because it's not happening," she said quietly, and the grin faded from his features. He brushed a piece of hair from in front of her eyes. _

"_Thank you," he said softly, and she felt her heart crack just a little bit more. _

"Katara?" Aang whispered, and she noticed that he was bowed slightly in front of Azula. The room that had once been warm and majestic with Zuko's flames was now eerie and uncomfortable. Azula's blue fire flickered around them like the tongues of beasts, lapping at their resolve and making her feel as if she was disappearing, bit by bit.

"Katara!" Azula echoed, standing up from her gilded throne and smiling down at them. Aang straightened up, but the Fire Lord's golden eyes were boring a hole through her own cerulean orbs, daring her to look away. "Where have you been for so long? There have been a great many... injuries in the palace. I would have been happy to give you some business."

_I bet you would,_ Katara seethed silently, but tilted her chin up and stood proudly. "I've been doing fine, actually. There isn't a shortage of work for me, especially not with your citizens."

Azula smirked as if she'd just won a game, and she knew she'd said too much.

"Exactly as I presumed," she purred, and Katara froze- she _knew._ Her Painted Lady disguise hadn't been enough- what if she knew where her home was? Lani was there, all alone- broken glass wouldn't deter someone for long.

She looked up into the eyes of her enemy, knowing suddenly and for certain that nothing had changed since that night three years ago, when she had beaten Azula at her own game.

She was going to have to proceed very carefully.

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><p><strong>I'm serious about the reviews, people. They are like constant reminders to keep working on this fiction, instead of setting on the back burner like I have with some of my others. That's not a threat, by the way, just an explanation of how my little crazy mind works. Let me know what you think.<strong>


	8. Delicate Dance

**Thanks to everyone who reviewed, favorite and put on an alert. I am honored, and if you enjoy the story, please continue to leave reviews. I'm aiming to get up to one hundred by the time this is over, and I would love for you all to pitch in :P If you want me to, I will review one of your stories in exchange for you reviewing this one. Just let me know in a comment if you have something in particular you want some constructive criticism on.**

**There are a few musical terms in this chapter you might not be familiar with, so I've listed them below.**

**Tempo- how fast or slow the beat of a song is.**

**Crescendo- music becoming gradually louder.**

**Decrescendo- music becoming gradually softer.**

**Dissonant- conflicting or unpleasant to hear.**

**Fermata- a time extension in music, holding a note, chord, or ****pause**** longer than first indicated.**

**That being said, please enjoy this chapter!**

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><p>Chapter Eight<br>Delicate Dance

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><p>Everyone was silent for a moment. Aang was inhaling, Azula was exhaling, Katara wasn't breathing at all. She felt the energy in the room shift, as if she'd gone from walking on solid ground to travelling on a swinging bridge of ancient rope.<p>

Just one false move, and-

_Ashes, ashes, we all fall down._

Katara snapped out of the haunting image, and stood straighter. "We've come to talk to you about some things, Azula." The firebender perched upon her throne, checked her talons. Without a sound she'd set the tempo, and they could only hope that the beat didn't break down any further.

"Proceed."

Aang stepped forward, starting the dance. The melody of his steps echoed in the room, becoming an infinitely more complicated song as the sounds bounced off of each other. "Azula, why are you taxing the people more? I've been in the poor parts of Calerda- I see too many citizens begging on the streets, sleeping on doorsteps. Why aren't you taxing the noblemen just as harshly when they are the ones who can actually afford it?"

"Because, Aang, _we're_ the ones who can't afford it." There was a new dancer joining them with words as sharp as the knives she carried. They slit open the air and let the tension spill out, enveloping them all, making it harder to hear the music.

Katara watched as Mai stepped forward, swinging a blade around her finger and staring deep into her eyes. She had changed from a thin, strong young woman to a haggard-looking wife- she could see the golden ring on her finger. The expression on her face was like dissonant music, her features clashing against each other and revealing nothing but hate.

Mai circled them, a very familiar step that Katara felt her body mirroring. "When dignitaries come from other nations, they need to see the strength of the Fire Nation. How could they do that if the nobles were begging on the streets? Only the Northern Water Tribe has come anywhere close to our hierarchy, especially since the Earth Kingdom was so corrupted. We need our noblemen to stay rich so that they can afford exports and imports, so that we can keep up the front that this is still the strongest nation in the world."

Her voice hit a wrong note- she didn't believe what she was saying. The words weren't hers. Katara approached her, ready to take the lead.

"So this _isn't_ the strongest nation? Not after the war decimated your resources and the morale?" Mai's eyes narrowed, and she looked at her with loathing. The steps were like a lioness stalking prey, Katara was ready to fight back- but Mai turned and slunk to Azula's side.

Time for a faster tempo, maybe a little crescendo.

"Besides," Azula snapped, watching Katara closely, "the nobles have already paid their dues and shown their allegiance to me. The commoners have not, for the most part, and the only way to keep them in line is to be their only source of life."

"Do you truly believe that?" The question was directed at Azula, but Katara sent the harmony part to Mai. After one dirty look, she knew for certain that the weapons master didn't approve of what Azula had just said.

"Of course we do," Azula sang back, and jumped down from her throne, moving proudly, stiffly. Her steps were light. Katara stepped back, letting her onto the floor, waiting for her solo performance.

"Many people, such as yourselves, probably see this method as… barbaric," she began, shooting a venomous look at Katara, which was returned tenfold. "But really, it's quite simple. This way, there is just poverty, and that can be easily dealt with- food is everywhere, you just have to know how to find it."

"Like stealing it from others?" Aang cut in, but Azula eluded him, sidestepping his question, continuing her spotlight dance. She prowled closer with a sultry little smile.

"Trust me, there _are_ other ways of keeping people quiet." The music built to a crescendo, then stopped. Azula held the fermata just long enough for Katara to see through the complicated harmonies, then she brought her to the finale of the piece.

"There are other ways, but they are messy and complicated. I know from experience, little Katara- the easiest way to make yourself heard in this world is to make everyone else _silent_."

Like Zuko.

"Katara, no!" Aang yelled as she lunged forward, and he sent a whip of water from her own supply to wrap around her waist, keeping her back until he got there. Azula laughed and turned away, ignoring the struggle behind her. She needed to die, needed to follow her brother and just _die_, and Katara would make it happen.

The beat was frantic, the steps were rough, and before she even got the chance to do her own moves, the dance was over.

Azula had wrong-footed her once again. Aang pulled her back, and she shoved him off of her. She couldn't bear to look him in the eyes, so she did the only thing left to do. She left the throne room, pushing open the doors and turning sharply to go down the hallway, to where she could think in private.

She'd been so caught up in the talk of the people that she hadn't even asked what had happened to Zuko. She'd failed, and this chance would never come up again.

"You know, that was a pretty stupid move." She instantly recognized the raspy, disparaging voice and looked over her shoulder, seeing Mai following her out of the throne room. Her eyes were brooding and heavy, and through her fingers, Katara could just make out the faint glint of needles.

"I don't care," she shot back savagely, "Azula will get what's coming to her one day." She hadn't felt this much hate coursing through her body since she'd gone to find the man who killed her mother- but even then, Zuko had been there to support her. Now, no one was stopping her.

"Yes, you do." Mai's response was quiet and weary, and it took her by surprise. "You care more than you let on, but I know. I've always known."

She was twisting the golden ring around her finger. The little piece of jewelry that she'd accepted from another man, forgetting about Zuko and moving on with her life.

Envy surged through her, accompanied by rage. It had just been so easy for Mai, but she could never move on- she was still trapped in the first moment she'd realized that her love for Zuko wouldn't be enough to keep them together.

"Why did you get married again?" she asked, desiring vindication. Mai grimaced and flicked the needles out of her hands, into the ground at her feet.

"I don't have to answer that!" she snarled, and Katara let out a short bark of laughter.

"Of course not, because you know that there is _no excuse_ for just abandoning Zuko's memory, leaving him behind!" It was the first time she'd said his name out loud in a long time, and she found herself tasting the bittersweet truth on her lips. "You went off and got married without a glance back! You left him!"

"So is that why _you_ stayed, Katara?"

Mai's words echoed around her, and she gasped. She couldn't answer, all she could do was stare into the eyes of her rival and see the hurt, lonely woman beneath her rouged cheeks.

"You think you've had it bad? You haven't been through anything. Every day, I wake up to a man without a scar, and I hate him just a little more. Everywhere I go, people recognize me and pity me, whether I want them to or not. I dream of him sometimes, but I wake up knowing that if the positions had been switched, it wouldn't be me he would be dreaming about.

"Zuko wasn't happy as the Fire Lord. I was with him every damn day, but he barely even acknowledged me. I knew he loved someone else, but I was foolish enough to stick around, thinking that maybe once we were married, things would be just as they should have been. We never got that far."

"How did he die?" Katara asked, knowing it could be her only chance to catch Mai off guard. The older girl laughed derisively.

"I don't know. I've never known, but I found out a long time ago that it was better to act in a fantasy than to hate the truth that is revealed to you." The two women stood facing each other like two sides of a mirror, drawn apart by the same thing that connected them.

"I have to go," Katara said mechanically, and turned away, walking down the main hallway, knowing just how many twists and turns there would be before she was once again outside of this hellhole. She knew Aang would find her somehow- he always did. So she just walked and wondered.

Mai didn't know how Zuko died, and she'd been the most prominent person in his life at the time. How the hell could she not know? They'd been at the funeral, and seen the blazing coffin. They'd gone through hell in the months and years afterwards. But something was missing before all of this, and she needed to know.

Maybe Azula had kept a record of it somewhere- maybe there was a place in the palace that housed the information she needed. She thought back to the records at the library, and her mind followed the natural course of events, ending with Ju Huan's violent end, and the Blue Spirit staring after her.

Suddenly, something clicked, and Katara felt energy rush up her spine and into her head before the world as she knew it morphed before her eyes. All those times she'd seen the Blue Spirit watching her, following her, she hadn't known why. But somehow Azula knew she was the Painted Lady, and there was only a few others she could think of that knew that.

The Blue Spirit wasn't protecting her at all- he was nothing more than Azula's puppet. It all made sense- Ju Huan had been killed by the Blue Spirit because Azula wanted all traces of Zuko's journey to be obliterated. The other crew members were already dead by now, she was certain of that. The Blue Spirit had sometimes kept her from going places- maybe because they held the hints to unlock Zuko's death?

In essence, the one she'd thought of as a savior was nothing more than the hand of her enemy, coming down to trap her as she walked willingly into her grasp.

With an outraged cry, she began to run out of the palace, shooting down corridors and passing stunned guards and servants. She needed to leave the web of lies, to go back to her home and hug Lani, tell her that everything will be fine and then get her out of the poisonous place as soon as possible. She was soon outside of the palace, back in the courtyard. People were still milling about, checking on the wounded and giving her suspicious glances as she passed.

"Katara!" Aang's voice made her jump, and he dropped down in front of her, a burst of air cushioning his landing. He stood up and gazed at her worriedly. "What happened in there?"

"I just lost it- I'm sorry, Aang. I shouldn't have tried to attack her, I ruined everything. Now we'll never find out what happened." Tears began to brim in her eyes, and she turned away, not wanting him to see her cry. His arms wrapped around her from behind, and he leaned his head on her shoulder.

"It's okay," he soothed, but she stepped away, not willing to lose herself in someone else's arms. He looked so hurt, but he had to understand that they couldn't go back down the path they had travelled when they were children. His love was still that of a child's first crush- it couldn't be sustained on who they were now.

"Let's just go home," she amended, and he nodded, leading the way out of the palace yards as she followed silently.

When they got back to the apartment, she could feel the anxiety rolling off of the man next to her. They had left Lani alone, and in an unsafe place- if something had happened to her, it was their fault. But the door was still closed, and Aang knocked three times, pausing after the first two, then pounding the wood, hard. Almost immediately, they heard little feet scurrying inside, and saw Lani's face in the window, her eyes wide and afraid. When she saw it was them, she nodded and held up one finger, telling them to wait.

"Thank the spirits," Katara breathed in relief, knowing the child was safe. She could hear the girl sweeping the broken glass away from the door, and unlocking it from the inside. The door was flung open, and Lani jumped into her arms, burying her head in Katara's neck.

"I missed you!" she cried, and Katara hugged her tightly. How was she going to give the little girl up? She knew it would be best for Lani, but she couldn't bring herself to imagine leaving her with a faceless stranger, letting her travel the world on her own until she reached Ba Sing Se. She carried her into the apartment and let Aang shut and lock the doors behind them. Lani turned her face into Katara's ear, and whispered.

"That strange man came again and stood outside, but he left right before you guys got back. The one in the mask." Katara froze momentarily, then smile tightly and shrugged.

"It's nothing to worry about. Don't tell Aang about him, we don't want to worry him for no reason." Lani nodded, and Katara set her down, spotting the unread letters from her family and friends, knowing that this was what she needed.

"I'm going to take a little break," she announced, gathering the scrolls into her arms. The weight was reassuring, and she backed into her room. "I need some privacy."

One she was situated on her bed, she cracked open the curtains covering the window to give her some light and unrolled the letter from Sokka and Suki.

_Suki and I are living in the South Pole at the moment- you wouldn't recognize it, Katara, it's changed so much. Now that the men are all home, more people are getting married and having children- including Suki and I. I know you would have liked to be at the wedding to tell me not to do anything stupid, but it all went fine, thank you very much. _

_We had our first child about eighteen months ago. She is named Tarani, sort of after you. As is Ka…Tara. Get it? Of course you do. She reminds me a lot of Mom, and of you when she smiles. Also, she loves water, and it seems to react to her- maybe we have another waterbender on our hands. Yippee._

_We miss you a lot, and we hope you're safe and happy- the whole tribe is worried about you. We want you to come home, Katara. You belong with your family, and the sooner the better._

_I love you, and Suki says she wants Tarani to have an aunt present. Please come back soon._

_Sokka_

Katara wiped the moisture from her eyes. Tarani had been named after her. She knew the child would have the best family around her, supporting her, and she ached to see them all again. She knew that once this was all over, she had to go back- it was torture, cutting herself off from everyone. She opened Toph's letter next, almost warily- the earthbender never had problems speaking her mind before, and she was sure she'd been treated to a few outspoken opinions.

_Hey Sugar Queen. My maid is writing this for me, so don't start thinking the little blind chick has suddenly been healed or anything. I'm still just the same kick-ass Blind Bandit I've always been. _

_I don't want you to worry, so I'll begin by saying that I'm very safe with what I do. Anyways- I've been commanding a force of earthbenders outside of Ba Sing Se in the Earth Kingdom, and we're liberating the villages that still have a few Fire Nation thugs in them. We're trying to clean up the military a little bit, get rid of the psycho war commanders and bring in some new blood. People keep asking me to be their sensei, but after Aang, I don't think I could handle another student without tearing my hair out._

_Speaking of Twinkle Toes- be gentle with him. It's painfully obvious how he feels about you, but judging from the last time I 'saw' you, you're not going to feel the same way. Don't hurt him too badly- the war is over, but the world still needs him- it needs all of us, so don't do anything too risky. _

_I'm going to go take care of some ex-army troublemakers now- don't hesitate to drop me a letter if you need me. You still have people who love you. Don't give that all up for someone who isn't even alive anymore._

_-Toph Bei Fong_

Katara sighed, throwing the letter aside and moving on before she had a chance to dwell on its contents. She opened the scroll from her father, greedily taking in his rough scrawl and the words he inscribed. He knew she would come home when she was ready. He wanted her to know that he loved her, and that Kanna was very weak, but was trying to hold on until she came back. Her grandmother was a strong woman, he said, and he knew she'd wait for years if she had to, but was hoping it wouldn't take that long for Katara to return. He missed his daughter.

Iroh's letter was more comforting. He talked about how he missed seeing her, and that he wanted her to think of him as an extension of her family. The tea shop was doing well, she was welcome to visit, and he hoped she was happy.

The closing of his letter caught her off guard.

_Some days I wake up feeling like a lonely old man. My son is gone, my nephew is gone, and my wife is gone. It is a comfort to me that someone other than myself may feel the same way, as if a part of them is missing- it gives me the opportunity to ask that we fill each other's empty hearts with memories and fond connections. I remember Zuko mentioning you lovingly and proudly, and even though these eyes are not as sharp as they once were, I could see the friendship between the two of you very clearly. You were one of the greatest influences in his life, and I cherish you as his greatest joy._

_Love, Uncle Iroh_

She bit her lip and tasted blood, then gently put the scroll down and wiped her eyes. The tears kept flowing, though. Her grandmother was not long for this world, she had never seen her niece, and the loneliness she felt was mirrored by a man who cared for her as deeply as he cared for Zuko.

She was being selfish. She'd almost never had the chance to think of herself, and the one time she did, she hurt those closest to her.

She heard a knock on the door, and Aang stuck his head in. "I heard you crying," he said quietly, and entered the room, sitting down next to her on the bed. She could tell he was nervous, and dreaded what was going to happen next. His pain had always hurt more than her own.

"Katara, I think that you should give this up. It's not healthy, and I'm really worried about you." His words weren't surprising, but she felt herself draw back from him. He looked her steadily in the eyes, not noticing her recoil. "You've always been special to me. I think about you all the time, wondering if you're safe and happy… wondering if you'd found s-someone else to…" He stuttered then trailed off, taking a deep breath and grabbing her hand. She didn't pull away. She was frozen.

"I love you. I always have, I want you to be mine, and to come back with me to the temples. I want to be together." His blunt, caring words sliced her apart, and she closed her eyes for a moment, envisioning the life he'd laid out for her.

She saw herself smiling and laughing, holding his hands. She saw them sleeping in the same bed, waking up to the same morning view. She saw herself aging with Aang's wrinkled hand wrapped around her own, and she knew she could never forgive herself if she let it become a reality.

"I can't." She forced herself to look him in the eye, and watched a cacophony of emotions flit through his features- shock, disbelief, sorrow, confusion, desperation.

"Why not, Katara?" He leaned forward, trying to kiss her, but she stood up, stepping away from him as tears spilled from her eyes.

"Aang, I'm so sorry. I just can't, I don't love you like that. You've always been my best friend, but that's it and-"

"No!" he cried, standing up as well, striding over to her and looking down at her, his eyes glistening. "That's not true, we were together once. You loved me once, Katara, why not now? I did everything right! I protected you and cared about you more than anything! I gave up so much for you, please!"

"Stop," she whimpered, but he kept going, tears falling freely now.

"You did. We kissed, we were together. Please," he repeated, and suddenly his lips were on hers. She didn't move. She turned to ice, begged the blood in her veins to freeze so that he wouldn't feel any heat beneath his kiss. It seemed like an eternity later when he pulled back and turned away, without looking at her. She knew she'd broken him.

She hated herself.

"Aang," she said quietly, "I'm so sorry." The words were inadequate, and her eyes widened when he slumped to the ground. "Aang!" she cried, lunging forward. She went around him, knelt in front of his bowed head. She tilted his chin up, saw tears running down his cheeks, and suddenly saw only the twelve year old boy she had once saved from inside an iceberg.

But how could she protect him when the thing that hurt him so badly was herself? It didn't make sense, and it wasn't fair.

"Your love for me… it's not real," she said, and he shook his head vigorously, opening his mouth to protest. "No, just listen!" she said urgently, and he closed his lips, looking at her doubtfully. "When we were kids, it was real, but we've changed. We grew up when you weren't looking."

He sighed, and she continued. "There is always going to be a part of you that loves me. It never goes away, trust me." Zuko's face fled through her mind, infecting her thoughts with the sweetest poison she'd ever known.

"But you will move on, because we can't let this go on anymore." He would move on, as she couldn't, because she'd given him the only gift she had left- closure.

"Katara… I need to go out for a little while. I'll be back, but I don't know when." She wasn't surprised at that, either- it was the Airbender part of him, to hate conflict. He was too peaceful to carry the pain in his body. She nodded, watched him as he left the room.

As soon as she heard the front door close, and Lani lock up, she curled into a ball on her bed and began to sob openly, not caring who heard her anymore.

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><p><strong>Thanks for reading, please review!<strong>

**Also, to the anonymous reviewer who called themselves 'red'- Thank you for your review, but please look over my author notes again. You will notice that at the beginning of every chapter except the third and the fifth that I thank people for their cooperation, and say 'please' when I ask for reviews.**

**It is not 'fishing for compliments' as you say, it is asking for constructive criticism. If you are not aware of the polite protocol for this website, please keep your opinions to yourself. I have already apologized for holding this story ransom, but I will not apologize for asking for reviews. Thank you for your time.**

**Have a good day.**


	9. Crescendo

**Sorry about the late update guys, but I think it is worth it. The next few chapters are so darn exciting that I can hardly move my fingers fast enough to type it all out. Expect pretty frequent updates for this. Please recommend this story to your friends, or to people who need a good Zutara story. **

**Also- I hope you enjoy this chapter, and please review!**

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><p>Chapter Nine<p>

Crescendo

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><p>Aang had been gone for the entire night, and half the next day, and she could tell Lani was beginning to get upset. She waited in silence with the little girl, stroking her brown hair out of her eyes and wishing there had been a way to keep Aang from getting hurt without hurting herself in the process.<p>

As hard as she wished for it, she knew the time had passed.

The late afternoon sun was just starting its descent in the sky when she heard a soft knock on the door, and stood up mechanically to let him in. Lani cried out his name and hugged him around his middle.

"I missed you!" she wailed, and Aang smiled gently down at her, swinging her up onto his hip and kissing her cheek brashly.

"I missed you too, Lani!" His words were true, but the tone was all wrong. He seemed to know he couldn't pretend, especially not in front of Katara, and set the girl back down. "Can you make me some dinner? I'm starving," he said, and Lani nodded, running into the kitchen.

Katara heard a crash, and was turning to the kitchen when she heard Lani's muffled voice. "I'm okay!"

She laughed softly, then turned back around, finding Aang right behind her. She tried to take a step back, but he wrapped his arms around her, squeezing her into a hug. She felt him bury his face in her hair, and instinctively hugged him back.

"I'm sorry Aang," she said, and he pulled back a little, unusually somber.

"Don't be, Katara. I've had a lot of time to think, and we should talk." She nodded, her throat tight, and then went to sit on the couch, shoving her hands beneath her thighs as she did when she was nervous. The Airbender sat in the chair across from her, his eyes kind and wide. He looked as young as he always had, whereas she felt much older than she should. It was strange to think that he was a hundred years older than her.

"I went into the town square again," he started off, and smiled a strange little grin she'd never seen before. "I looked up for a little while at that huge picture of Zuko, and I just sort of sat there. He was one of the best friends I ever had, and I really did love him- but, you know, not like- never mind. Anyways," he continued with a slight blush, "I was looking up at him, thinking about you, and it all sort of clicked."

He met her eyes with his own. Her stomach dropped.

"I know why you've stayed in Caldera. Katara, I know everything. I'm just surprised I didn't notice before how much you loved Zuko." She let a little sob escape from her throat, and he rushed to her side, hugging her as a friend would, with no trace of flirtation in the way he nuzzled her ear. "It's okay. I'm sorry," he said. She couldn't answer, couldn't tell him that she was the one who needed to be sorry.

"I tried to force you to love me, didn't I?" he mused quietly. "That kiss in Ba Sing Se… you started it, but I knew there was something different. I loved you so much, but you just didn't care. I tried to make you care." He sat in silence for a bit, then leaned back from her and put his hands back in his lap, leaning on his elbows.

"I'm here for you as a friend, but I'm not going to make you fight anymore. I can't tell you that I don't love you anymore, but I'm not going to try to make you love me… like that." His voice broke, and she sighed.

"Thank you, Aang." She couldn't say anything else, because her throat closed entirely, but she threw her arms around his neck, and felt him hold onto her for a long time before she was finally able to let go. "You're my best friend," she said honestly. "I know it's not enough for you, but-"

He laughed sadly. "It will always be enough for me, Katara. I just need to get over this." She nodded, and he stood up, not facing her. "I know how important Zuko is to you still. So I'll do whatever I can to find out what happened to him."

She bit her lip, then heard Lani singing in the kitchen, something she hadn't noticed before in her misery. The child's voice was sweet and high, and her words were the archaic ones of an old Fire Nation war song.

_Little flowers on the hill,  
>Always waving, never still,<br>You're the only ones to see me leaving,  
>So send my love to home again,<br>And tell them I am free of pain,  
>So when they see you, they are free of grieving.<br>Hi, ho, I'm safe and high,  
>In Agni's arms above the sky,<br>Tell them I am free of pain  
>So they can stop their grieving.<em>

"Aang, I know you want to stay and help, but I need to ask you to do something." He looked at her questioningly, and she closed her eyes, steeling herself for what was going to come. "I need you to take Lani to Iroh in Ba Sing Se. She's too young to travel alone, and after what happened with Azula, I don't trust anyone to take her there other than you. Besides, you would get there faster on Appa than if she were to go by train and boat or something."

"I care about her too, but should we really send her away?"

Katara nodded. "She can't stay here, Aang. I worry about her, being here alone while you and I go save the world again. I can't do what I need to if there's a possibility it will hurt her." He studied her for a while, then nodded.

"Should I come back afterwards?" His question took her by surprise, and for a moment, the room was silent save for Lani's haunting little war song. She remembered the blood on the ground that Ju Huan left behind. She remembered the threat in Azula's gaze, and how the young woman had been mental enough to try to kill her own brother when she was only fifteen. The Blue Spirit's masked face floated in her mind's eye, and she knew what the answer had to be.

"Aang, don't come back. I'll come to you when I can, just so that you know I'm safe. But please, don't come back." She surprised herself with the intensity in her voice, but when she thought about it, it suited her. She couldn't afford to plead anymore, or to try to be the same gentle person she's been with him.

She'd changed, and she had to accept the truth of the matter. She had a duty to herself, to Zuko's memory, and she couldn't bring anyone else down with her.

"I understand," he murmured, looking determined. "When should we leave?"

"I don't know yet," she answered, "but I want to talk to Lani. Can you maybe go get her for me?" He nodded a little awkwardly, and turned. She stopped him, her hand on the crook of his elbow. Her heart felt like it was gripped in an iron hand, and the pulsing sent her head spinning.

"Thank you," she murmured, and felt him still beneath her touch.

"I love you, Katara," he reminded her tightly, and walked away without looking back.

She sat on the couch with a sigh, trying to regain control of her runaway thoughts. She couldn't let Aang stay, not when the world needed him. And as much as she wanted Lani around, she kept closing her eyes and seeing the girl's body lying on the ground, her eyes open and unseeing. Exactly the same way she'd found her mother.

She would never forgive herself if she had yet another death on her shoulders. She saw Lani come out of the kitchen, a big smile on her young face, and smiled in return. "Come here, honey," she crooned, and the girl giggled and jumped up onto her lap. Her hand immediately went to Katara's cheek, and her other arm went around her neck.

"I made breakfast all by myself," she bragged proudly, and Katara laughed, noticing a shiny little burn on her arm. "I only burned myself one time!" she said, and Katara leaned forward and kissed the mark. Her fingers twirled, and she brought a little stream to the wound, healing it and kissing her arm again.

"Lani, I'm so proud of you!" she said, and squeezed the child tight. _Yue help me,_ she thought desperately, _I can't do this._ "Can we talk about something?" _Don't make me give her up. _"I promise, no one is in trouble." _Except me. I don't think I can let her go._

Lani nodded and turned around to look at her. "Are you okay?" she asked innocently, then leaned in to whisper in her ear- "I think Aang is sad too still. He didn't even notice the hotcake I made for him had his face on it."

"Maybe because he couldn't tell who it was," Katara teased, tickling the girl until she squealed. The girl's eyes were shining, and she was looking at the waterbender with such blatant adoration that she knew she once again had to be strong enough to let someone go.

"You remember how I said that I know someone who could teach you to firebend?" Lani nodded. "Well, Iroh is willing to take you in now. Soon, I'm going to send you and Aang to Ba Sing Se, and you'll live with Iroh there."

"Ba Sing Se?" she said in a small voice, and Katara started- she'd forgotten that she'd never told Lani where Iroh lived. Of course the child would assume he lived in the Fire Nation. "You never… is it because you don't want me?" she whimpered, and Katara hugged her close, horrified that the girl thought that.

"No! Lani, I want to keep you more than I could ever tell you. But what's happening right now… it's not safe. I don't want you to get hurt, I wouldn't be able to live if something happened to you. You'll be safe with Iroh, and I'll come for you as soon as I can." She felt the child grasp her arms, keeping them wrapped together. The fire in her body was warm and powerful, even though the bearer was just a little girl she'd found in an alley.

"Why can't you come too?" she demanded, eyeing Katara as she pulled back. "Maybe Iroh would let you work in his tea shop too," she said hopefully. Katara grinned.

"I have some business to take care of first." Lani raised her eyebrow imperiously, reminding her very much of a certain prince she used to know.

"Well hurry up so that you can come back to me, okay?" She swallowed back her tears.

"I promise, Lani." It occurred to her too late that maybe, just maybe, she couldn't keep that promise. She might be dead before this was all over. She'd seen others die for this secret; what made her any different?

The girl looked at her with age in her eyes. "You helped me and no one else ever did that. I don't remember my first mama, so that means I think you're my mama." Katara couldn't help it, she broke down, wrapped her arms around the girl and began to cry.

"You're like my daughter, Lani. I really do love you." How could she not? She felt the girl's forgiving hands stroking her hair comfortingly, and her new daughter waited for her crying to subside before she hopped off her lap with a shy little smile.

"Love you too Mama. I'm gonna go to work now okay?"

Katara nodded. "Make sure you come back before the sun goes down, I told Kyoti not to keep you after dark." Lani left the house a few minutes later, and she went to see Aang in the kitchen. He was staring despondently at the rough table, his fingers twitching and making the syrup on his breakfast-for-dinner hotcakes rise up and make shapes in the air.

"Aang?" He turned and looked at her, and she motioned unnecessarily towards the front door. "I'm going out. If anyone comes looking for the Painted Lady, tell them to come back tomorrow night at the same time."

"Okay," he said, then brightened up. "Can I wear a disguise too?" He stood up on his chair, pulled his shirt over his head and brought it up over his nose, showing only merry, grey eyes. "I vill be ze Night Spirit! Vith eyes as bright as ze stars!"

She laughed and sent a blast of water at him, effectively knocking him off the chair. He rebounded sideways off a wall, grabbing his chest dramatically. "Ay! You 'ave ruined me, you sneaky little vaterbender!" He toppled over, his tongue hanging out of his mouth. She poked him in the stomach with her foot, where she knew he was ticklish, then watched as he jumped back onto his feet, aided by the graceful air he controlled.

For a second, they forgot everything else between them but friendship, and she felt lighter than she had in ages. The next, they were back to the current situation, and she had the pleasure of watching the past fade slowly and reluctantly from his face.

"I'll watch the house. Come home safe though, okay?" he requested, and she nodded, pulling the hood of her cloak up as she left the apartment. She closed the door behind her, felt him click the locks into place, then raised her eyes to the sky. The moon was full tonight, and the starts shone dimly beside it as if frightened by its engorged presence.

The streets were cool beneath her feet, and the air went silently past her. She needed to think, she knew that if she didn't find answers soon, she'd break down. But at the same time, all she could think about was the lunar power in her veins, and how she'd like to use it. She became a different person as she walked, leaving behind the inhibitions and concerns of being a healer and a friend. Morphing into a power of the night, and the scent was intoxicating.

She didn't think that she'd have a shadow, considering it was so dark outside- but then she realized the figure was moving without her, and she gasped, falling back into the role of the hunted when she recognized who it was.

The Blue Spirit looked at her, silent as ever, but infinitely more dangerous than she'd ever suspected. "What are you doing here?" she demanded, stepping to the right and noticing how he mirrored her movements. _Too late to pretend to be my shadow,_ she thought savagely, and drew a lethal amount of water from the air, from the little cracks in the sidewalk where moisture dwelled. She could feel every single source of liquid around them, due to her adrenaline and the full moon, and she refused to let the sensation go.

"Have you come to spy on me again? Send all your information back to Azula and tell her what a naughty little Fire Nation citizen I've been?" He didn't answer. She knew he never would, and she hated him even more for that, even more than for wanting to trust him and the undeniable attraction she felt for him.

She stepped closer to him, her movements jagged as shattered glass. "Or maybe you've come to kill me, like you killed Ju Huan and all the others? I know that you're the one who did it. You're the only one who could have." Venom dripped from her lips as the words forced themselves from her throat and into the air.

The demon stepped back, and she stepped forward, then changed her mind about keeping her distance and walked straight up to him, shoving him as hard as she could. He stumbled, but didn't fall. "You killed them! You took away every hint I could have ever found, every clue that led me to what I need to know! I'll never find out what happened now, and it's _all your fault!" _Her last words had risen to a scream, but that didn't stop her. She went to shove him again, made sure that the water behind him had frozen right behind his feet. This time, he did fall- with a heavy thud, he hit the ground, and she pounced on top of him, her eyes blazing with fury as she leaned down until her mouth was only a few inches from where the demon's ear should have been.

"It's your fault that I will never find out what happened to Zuko, or why. But you don't care, right? Because you're nothing but a ghost with no feelings and no heart. Something like you could _never_ feel the agony I feel, or know what it's like to love someone so deeply that it kills you when they're gone."

She was suddenly disgusted by their close proximity, and what it was doing to her. She stood up, ready to go back into her apartment and forget the encounter had even happened, but she never even made it two steps.

Before she even realized what had happened, arms cast in black encircled her from behind, pressing right up against her ribcage, and she felt a weight on her shoulder. He was holding her tightly from behind, leaning his head on her shoulder, and she couldn't breathe.

He was so close, too close- but she didn't want him to move away. Wait- she did. He was a murderer. He was the reason she couldn't unfold the mystery. He was a bad boy, just like Jet had been before his death, and she reasoned with herself- _that's the only reason you feel attracted to him. Because he's a bad boy. Just like Jet._

Another voice piped up in her head, telling her that Jet had turned out good in the end, but she dismissed it, and instead forced herself back into the present.

The Blue Spirit was withdrawing his arms from around her waist, bringing his hands up to her arms and gently turning around. She was planning to spit in his face before she realized that it wouldn't do any good, since he was behind a mask. His gloved hand drifted down to her own, and he tugged it insistently. She followed him instinctively, and traced his broad back with her eyes as he led her down into a dark alley, far from the light. The only sense she could use was touch, his hand on hers, the cool night air wafting against her skin, the bright moon not sending any light to her but instead sending power. Everything else was black, odorless, nothing, and the Blue Spirit was the only thing that kept her grounded in the real world instead of letting her mind wander into the darkest possibilities she could think of.

_Maybe I can trust him._ The thought was no more than a whisper in her head, but it was enough. She felt her body relax, and let a little smile grace her face. _Maybe I'm wrong, I don't have any proof that he's a bad guy. Maybe-_

Something caught her legs, and the Blue Spirit's hand disappeared from her own. Then, fabric covered her eyes and knotted around her head. She shrieked, lifted her arms to get it off and to bend, and felt steel fingers locking over her wrists. She kicked out her legs as she felt herself being lifted up, and suddenly another limb was holding her feet together as well.

The Blue Spirit hauled her over both shoulders like a yoke, keeping his hands over her legs and wrists as she shrieked and bucked. "No!" she shouted, "I thought I could trust you! _You bastard!"_ He wasn't affected by her voice. She could tell he was running, but had no clue how he could see where he was going. The world was nothing but darkness, cloying and dangerous. Then she realized that he'd blindfolded her with black fabric, or something like it- she was effectively stuck.

One short moment of weakness was all it had taken. She knew he was going to take her to Azula, and there wasn't a damn thing she could do to stop him. His grip was too tight, and even with the full moon on her side, she couldn't break his hold.

_Lani,_ she thought desperately, _I'm breaking my promise to Lani- and what is Aang going to do when I don't come home?_ She could feel the Blue Spirit's broad shoulders beneath her, reminding her slightly of Zuko's strong build, and tears came to her eyes.

_I'm so sorry Zuko. I'll see you soon._

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><p><strong>Poor Katara. Please review, tell me what you think. Sorry about the late update!<strong>


	10. Truth

**I really hope you liked the last chapter guys, and that this one will clear some things up. Thanks for all the reviews and everything, I'm truly honored. Also, SOMEBODY please give me the name of a good, multi-chaptered Zutara fic I could read. I want something deep and well written, so let me know if you know of something I might like to read. Thanks!**

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><p>Chapter Ten<br>Truth

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><p>She was distracted by a sudden change in temperature. It had been a humid night, but they'd gone somewhere cool and dry. She felt something brush her upturned face and recoiled, then recognized it as a coarse sort of fabric. She paid closer attention, thinking that maybe she could memorize the way out of this hell.<p>

She started bouncing. The Blue Spirit was going down steps. They seemed to go on forever, and anxiety took over as her brain fled the scene. They couldn't already be at the palace, she was too far away. Maybe they were taking a secret passage.

She shrieked again when she felt him shirt beneath her, and suddenly her feet were free and on the ground again, and steel was pressed into her throat. She froze- he was going to kill her.

The blindfold was ripped from her eyes, and she blinked in the sudden light. The man in the mask was standing to her right with a sword pressed lightly against her throat, and the black holes that were his eyes seemed to be staring right through her.

"Go ahead, do it!" she spat, clenching her teeth. It would only take one small flick of his wrist to open her throat, and if he was going to do it, she wasn't waiting around for him to build up the suspense. She refused to play his game.

He walked in front of her slowly, keeping her at the tip of his sword, then leaned down and pulled a ring up on one of the floorboards. A trapdoor opened, and he walked closer to her to open it, taking the blade away from her skin. She stared down into the black abyss for just a moment, then watched as he disappeared into it. She was alone in a room far beneath the city- she could tell by the humidity and the temperature that she was nowhere near the surface.

She touched her throat, expecting a line of blood, but he hadn't even broken the skin. Her instincts were conflicted- how could she trust him? He'd nearly killed her. She wasn't going after him… but why had he brought her all this way just to leave her? And she didn't know how to get back to her home.

Katara swore under her breath, then jumped into the trapdoor. There was a terrifying moment of freefall, then her feet hit the ground and she rolled, bouncing back up into a crouch. Something touched her shoulder and she flinched away, recognizing the gloved hand of her demon. He pushed her forward lightly, and she stepped forward with an annoyed little huff.

"Quit pushing me, I don't know where I'm going!" she muttered quietly, and heard his footsteps come to a stop behind her. And then they were in front of her, and his hand was on her shoulder, leading her forward. He pushed slightly, telling her to stop, and she waited, blind.

She didn't scream when his hands wrapped around her waist, not even when he picked her up and carried her bridal style down another flight of stairs. She felt his beating heart beneath her hands, and realized he had probably saved her from eating the stairs because she couldn't see where she was going.

"Thanks," she snapped begrudgingly, and felt him shake with a silent chuckle beneath her hands. That staircase was longer than the one before, and she felt as if the walls were coming closer. She fought to stay calm, and felt his clutch her closer in response to her panic.

Then, he pushed open a door with his foot, and they were once again in a dimly lit room- it was _his_ room. A pool of oil sat in a dish, lit by a smoldering wick in the center. The flickering light it gave illuminated a small bed and a dresser with a wash-bin on one side of the room, and a small arsenal of swords and knives on the other. The weapons shone as if illuminated from within, and she suddenly recognized the metal they were wrought from.

"You have lunar steel weapons?" she asked, walking closer in fascination. She remembered Sokka's 'space sword' that had been lost in the Fall of Ozai, and how she'd later found out that there were other forgers who had found stores of meteors and made weapons to fit. The blades were sharper than most and lighter as well, and she wished she could tell Sokka what she'd found.

She turned back to the Blue Spirit, who seemed unconcerned that she was getting so close to his weapons. He was instead staring at one of the walls, which was covered by peeling wanted posters of criminals in Caldera. She recognized a few names, but most of them were mysteries to her.

Some of them had crosses slashed across them. Others were covered with black inked questions, little scribbled and question marks. She saw a map of the city as well, painted with numbers, with one place in particular circled. She stepped closer, trying to make it out, but felt him tap her shoulder. When she faced him, he pointed his sword to the right and jerked his head, telling her to move away.

She frowned. "Say please." He didn't, just reached out his other hand and pushed her aside gently. Then, he knelt down and pried up a floorboard, sending a shiver through her body. They boards moved easily, revealing yet another passage downwards. He stared up at her, half his body swallowed up by the darkness he stood in. he seemed to be waiting for her, though she never knew exactly.

"I'm not going down there. I don't know what you want, but there is no way in hell that- ugh, never mind." She rolled her eyes, knowing she couldn't argue against her curiosity (and his swords) and hopped down after him, leaving the boards open behind them in case she needed to make a quick getaway.

A light moan floated back towards her, and she froze- was that the demon, or maybe the wind? He turned back to look at her and shook his head, then opened an unseen door and flooded the hall with eerie green light.

She was immediately brought back to the crystal catacombs, and to Zuko- she'd completely misjudged him then, had hated him more than she could ever say. But by the end of their time together, she'd been ready to help him- nervous too, but trusting him not to hurt her.

He could have easily killed her then, but he hadn't. The Blue Spirit had been around her on multiple occasions, just the two of them, but had never done anything to hurt her. How could she not go with him now? He couldn't be Azula's puppet.

She walked forward into the room, seeing little green lanterns on the walls. They cast a haunting glow over the man slumped in the corner, the one who bled lightly and groaned in pain.

"Oh, Yue," she gasped, running forward to help him before she recognized the black and golden robes of the Dai Li.

"Get away from me!" the man spat, and she narrowly avoided a spike of rock jutting up beneath her feet. She stumbled to the side, watching as he stomped on the ground, bringing a barrage of rocks from the wall and straight for her. She dropped to the ground, waiting for the next attack, but it never came. She looked up, her heart racing, and saw the Blue Spirit standing in front of the Dai Li agent, his Dao blades forming a scissor around his neck. The sweaty, raging man glared up at him.

"What do you want? Why did you bring _her_ here?" Katara stepped forward with a grimace.

"What's that supposed to mean?" she shot back, and the earthbender glared at her.

"Hellcat," he said, and spat a mouthful of blood at her feet. She walked forward and swung her fist, hitting him full across the face and watching in grim satisfaction as he reeled back. Her knuckles pounded, but with a slight twist of water brought up from the moist ground, the wound was healed.

The Blue Spirit stepped back, went to the wall and pulled out a small knife from his side. He turned back to the concrete, began swiping at the barrier with the blade. Every time he did, another white mark was emblazoned on the stone, and by the time he swung around and threw the knife into the wall by the Dai Li agent's head, there was a clear message for them to see.

_Tell her everything._

"About what?" Her question was directed at the Blue Spirit, but he just inclined his head towards the man. She turned back to him. "Tell me what?" He wouldn't meet her eyes, so she stalked back to him, grabbing him by the hair and pushing a thin string of water around his neck, squeezing until his face turned purple.

"Tell me what?" she screamed, letting him go, feeling the full moon singing in her blood. She could be horrified later. Now was a time for information, and she was going to get it no matter what it took.

"Fine," he coughed, wheezing and writhing like a worm on the floor. "Fine. I'll tell you. I was an agent of Long Feng, but Azula changed that. We came back with her to the Fire Nation for her coronation, but before that happened, she dismissed us.

I knew things were bad in Ba Sing Se, and I wasn't about to go home. So I went underground, I found a cheap little apartment and I stayed in Caldera. My comrades all left except eight of us, and last I heard the ones who went home are spending their new lives in a jail cell. But about seven months after Azula was taken down, she found me. I thought she was insane, but apparently some nutcase had thought it was a good idea to heal her."

Katara growled, thinking back to her brief sessions with the princess. "Go on," she said, enraptured by the story.

"She brought me back to the palace, and we went underground to meet the others who stayed- I don't know exactly where it was."

He stopped talking, and eyed her suspiciously. She was just moving forward to hit him again when the Blue Spirit flitted forward and cut a line in his cheek. The man howled, his back arched, and Katara was struck by her stupidity. She was deep under the city with two dangerous men, neither of which she was entirely sure she trusted. One minute she was sure the Blue Spirit was awful, the next her curiosity had taken over and she was following wherever he led.

This hunt for Zuko had completely skewed her common sense.

"There were sailors in the room. When they saw us, they went crazy, thinking we were Fire Nation executioners there to kill them. They said if we loved our nation we'd stop and listen to what they had to say, but Azula instructed us to erase their memories. We set up our stations in other rooms and started the process, but the men I was assigned kept talking.

"Apparently, Fire Lord Zuko brought a woman back from the mysterious place in the Earth Kingdom. Not like a lover, they said, an older woman. They stayed on the ship for a month after a two and a half month journey, so they weren't very happy about it, but something changed. Zuko stayed locked in his room with the woman, and whenever anyone saw him, he was quiet and angry, like when he was younger.

"By the time they got to port, no one was looking for him, and they noticed too late that the both of them were gone. They searched for him, but he'd skipped out. The woman had taken all her possessions too- it was like she never existed."

Katara's heart was pounding in her head. She found herself pacing back and forth, passively noting the Blue Spirit, unmoving as stone. "Describe the woman," she said, an inkling of speculation tugging at her mind. He didn't say anything, and she moved forward, grabbing a fistful of his tattered robes and hissing in his face. "Tell me, you bastard, what did she look like?"

"I don't know!" he shouted, "I wasn't there! I don't know!" She released him, her blood boiling as she walked away from him. She came face to face with the Blue Spirit and stopped. He was staring straight at her, and she wondered for the thousandth time what lay beyond that metal, leering mask. Maybe the man behind it silently doubted her. Maybe he knew that the man wasn't telling her everything he knew.

She looked up at him. He tilted his head towards the man, and she turned back to the Dai Li agent. Her hands came up, the fingers twisted in a way she had sworn off long ago. The man froze, his eyes bulging. He tried to fight it, but no one was ever immune to this technique.

She bent his blood until he was standing, and the Blue Spirit automatically sliced through the manacles on his wrists. She forced his arms to stay at his sides, ignored his pained cries. She knew it hurt, knew how it made the body ache and the head feel as if it was going to explode- strangely, she felt something like it in her own body.

One agonizing step at a time, she made him walk forward. "Put your sword up," she whispered to the Blue Spirit, and he did as she asked, holding the blade steady as she walked the Dai Li agent to the very tip of the steel.

"Oh, Spirits no, please! _Please!"_ She made him stop, watched the one drop of blood bead on his shirt and soak through the fabric. He was crying and twitching like a dying spider, and a part of her was so horrified by the sight that she thought she was going to be sick.

She hid her feelings, and braced herself. "You tell me everything you know, or I will make you keep walking."

"I erased their memories! I did, but it was too important, too strong. I knew they would remember eventually- I killed them, I killed them all so that they would never tell. And I told Azula what they said. She was upset," he said quickly, desperately, "she was upset and she told me to leave and never come back. I did, and I spent almost three years hiding before this… thing found me."

She waited a moment, then sighed and flexed her fingers, watching him wince. "Anything else?" Her voice sounded dead and gone, but rage still squeezed her heart. This was the man who killed Ju Huan. She was inside him, plucking at his veins, and all she wanted was to be out of him, to step away from the man who got rid of her path to Zuko.

"Yes!" He was grasping at straws, she could tell, but he went on. "When I left Azula, she said something- like muttered it under her breath." She felt the Blue Spirit stop breathing and considered the thought that he hadn't heard this before.

"Oh really," she said scathingly, "What did she say?"

The man's eyes widened, and he took a deep breath. "I'm not sure, but I think… 'Mother', she said, I think that's what she said." Katara unconsciously gasped and tightened her muscles, hearing the man scream in agony. "That's all I know! That's all I know! Please!"

She was frozen, completely unable to do anything. Azula's mother. Zuko's mother. Lady Ursa, who had disappeared and haunted him for his entire life without her. _He'd found her_. He'd brought her home, and then died, Azula had known and-

She'd killed her own brother.

Suddenly, things moved very fast. The Blue Spirit thrust his arm forward, the sword jutted through the man's body and out his back, and Katara felt a horrifying pain lancing through her. She screamed and felt her body moving forward, felt strong arms wrap around her, and let the Blue Spirit's mask lull her into the deep, cool darkness.

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><p><strong>So what did you guys think? Can Katara trust the Blue Spirit? Is Ursa still alive? And if so- where is she?<strong>

**Please review :)**


	11. Left Behind Again

**Sorry about the length; I'm on vacation in Oregon with my family and I'm really busy. More is coming soon, I promise! Hope you enjoy; please follow the three Rs- read, review and (this is a new one) recommend! Thanks for everything :)**

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><p>Chapter Eleven<br>Left Behind Again

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><p>The aching of her body was the first thing she was aware of. She felt the pulse of her heart in her head, and felt the throbbing of sore muscles traveling through her limbs. <em>I overdid it,<em> she thought drowsily, then- _is something burning?_

Her eyes flashed open, revealing the intricate decay of water stains on the ceiling and the familiar surroundings of her room. She sighed with relief at having woken up in her own bed as the events of last night rushed back into her head. She traced her stomach, still feeling a deep bruise where the Dai Li agent had been stabbed, and as a result; she'd felt the pain.

But how had she gotten back into bed? Her shoulder stiffened, and she looked around the room suspiciously. There was a scent of something musty and rich in the room. She'd smelled it before, but not in this place, and she couldn't name it. Her blue gaze meandered over the rough floorboards, then up the nightstand by her rickety bed. A piece of thick parchment was pinned to the wood by a thick knife, and on the paper was handwriting she was sure belonged to the Blue Spirit.

She ripped it free and read the note. _I'm sorry for hurting you_. _I won't let it happen again- B. _Her heart thumped in her chest, and she put a hand over it as if she could squash the feelings within it. He'd taken her mother's necklace off her and laid it on the table as well, and she bit her lip as she slipped the chain over her head and felt the pendant nestle between her breasts.

There was a knock on the door, and Aang slipped into her room looking unusually somber. She stood up, crushing Blue's note in her hand and hiding it behind her back. "Good, you're up," Aang said, then smiled softly. "Lani has all her things packed, and I went to see Appa this morning. He's all ready for the journey, and waiting just outside of Caldera, by the pier. We were waiting for you to get up."

Her throat tightened, and she turned away, trying to hide her tears from her best friend. She'd forgotten that he and Lani were leaving. "Okay," she croaked, forcing herself to think of what was best for her child. _She's not safe here,_ Katara reminded herself, and swallowed down the knot in her tremulous body.

Aang hugged her from behind, setting his chin on her shoulder. His body was soft and friendly against her back, but she could tell that he was fighting off the urges to make it into something more, and she stepped away. "I was thinking about taking Lani on a trip around the world before taking her to Iroh," he said hesitantly," You know, so she can see the things we've seen, and some of the things the Fire Nation did."

"That's a good idea," Katara mused, picturing the little girl on Kyoshi and in the Air Temples. Lani would love seeing those things. "But you would have to promise to always keep her safe."

Aang nodded, and she sighed. "Give me a minute to get ready, and then we'll go." He left the room and she went on autopilot, mechanically pulling a dress over her head, slipping her necklace inside the collar. She walked into the family room and saw Lani bouncing up and down on her seat, smiling widely.

"Mama!" the little girl yelled, catapulting herself into Katara's arms. She laughed, pushing an unruly strand of hair behind the child's ear and kissing her cheek.

"Are you all ready to go?" she asked, and Lani nodded, slipping out of her grasp and grabbing a pack. She slipped it over her thin shoulders and skipped back to her side, holding her hand as if it was a lifeline. "Let's leave, then." Katara bit back tears as they left the house, knowing she would be returning to it alone.

The walk to the pier was uneventful, and she found her mind wandering to the night she'd found Lani. There was no way of knowing that she'd become so ingrained in her heart, but now she couldn't see herself letting the girl leave.

"Oh, Jun Hi, look at that family over there! They look so happy!" The hushed whisper carried across the street, and she looked up to see two old women staring joyfully at her, Lani and Aang. One of them stepped forward with an indulgent smile at Lani. "I'm sorry, but it's not often you see families which are whole anymore, considering that most men fought in the war and many women had to take their places in the factories. And such an exquisite child! She's beautiful!"

Katara laughed, knowing that Lani looked younger than she really was, and that she herself looked older than nineteen. "Thanks," she started, "but-"

"I have the best mama in the world!" Lani interrupted, swinging their joined hands back and forth and grinning up at the old woman. "She saved me and took me in when my old mama and papa died." Then she grabbed Aang's hand. "And he's our best friend."

The woman's smile tightened a bit, and she looked over Katara again, sizing her up. A blush crept over the skin on the back of her neck- there had been plenty of single mothers in the tribe growing up, since all the men were gone. But here, it was almost a crime, even if the child wasn't hers.

"I see," she said, then raised her eyebrows and watched as Katara moved in front of Lani protectively. She was too young to be exposed to this kind of discrimination.

"We have somewhere to be. Thank you for your kind words, but my _daughter_ and I are running late. Come on," she said, and pulled the little girl away, trusting Aang to follow after them. She didn't notice Lani turning around until her hand slipped from her grasp.

"She's a better person than you are!" she yelled back at the woman, then turned around, grabbed Katara's hand and haughtily led the way again. She bit back a smile, looking down at the strong little girl she cherished. Lani glanced up at her and shrugged her shoulders. "It's true. She was old and smelly and not nice at all." Katara didn't reply, and heard Aang chortling quietly behind them.

The scent of the sea alerted them to the fact that the pier was right around the corner, and Katara held her breath as it came into view, making a last-ditch effort to control the tears until Lani couldn't see them. The girl wriggled in excitement and tugged them forward, pulling Aang by his robes. "Come on, come on!" she said, and then stopped dead in the middle of the street, her eyes wide.

Katara looked at Aang and saw him stowing his bison-whistle back in his robes, his eyes on the sky. She followed his gaze, seeing a small shadow behind the clouds becoming larger and clearer, morphing into the impressive shape of Appa. He touched down on the hill overlooking the pier to the left, and all around them, cries went up and fingers pointed.

Aang led them up to the hill, and Katara leapt at the sky-bison, hugging his thick, wiry fur and hearing the deep groan rumble back in his throat. "Appa, I've missed you!" she whispered into his side, then she stepped back. Lani looked intimidated, and she smiled. "It's okay, honey. He's gentle."

Her daughter stepped forward and reached out, her hand shaking like a leaf, and touched Appa's middle leg. He went still, and she ran her hand along his side, walking around him until she was looking him in the eye. "Hi."

Appa rumbled, Lani giggled, and then hugged him as Katara had done. "See? Appa likes you," Aang pronounced, and then turned to Katara, the same young smile on his face as she remembered. "We have to go, though."

Lani catapulted her small body back into the waterbender's arms, nuzzling her neck. "Promise you'll write me?" she asked, and Katara swore she would.

"You write me some letters too, tell me where you are and what you learn, okay? I want to know everything." Lani nodded, biting her lip and sniffling, her eyes growing misty. Katara kissed her cheek. "No tears, little one. Now is your time to be excited and happy!"

"But I'm gonna miss you," she said in a small voice, and her throat tightened.

"I'll miss you too, baby," she murmured, "but we'll see each other soon okay?" She nodded and burrowed her head in Katara's shoulder. "I love you," she said.

"Love you too, Mama." Knowing she couldn't take any more without breaking down, she jerked her head towards Aang, and he stepped forward and took Lani from her arms, setting the girl on his hip. She immediately felt empty, but strapped down the emotion and smiled thinly.

"Let's go, Lani!" Aang said animatedly, and bent his knees, propelling himself up into Appa's saddle as Lani squealed in surprise. They got situated as she watched from the ground, not daring to move.

With two small words from Aang, Appa took off into the sky with the both of them looking back at her, waving and smiling. She laughed for their sake and returned the farewells, and as soon as they were beyond the clouds, she dropped to her knees and leaned forward, sick with misery and loneliness.

It took a long time for the pain to fade enough to get up and make her way back home. She avoided main streets and dipped into the shadows whenever anyone came near. The sun was beginning to set by the time she finally made it back to her apartment complex, and discovered the man at her door.

He was groaning and sweating with agony, holding his leg still. She could already see that it was bent at an impossible angle, and she bit her lip. The moon was just past being full, so she knew she was powerful enough to heal him.

"Please," he gasped, "are you the Painted Lady?" She nodded, grateful that she'd pulled her hood up during the walk home. His face sagged in relief. "My leg is hurt, and if I don't get it fixed, I'll be out of a job. M-my family needs me, one of my little boys has already passed on to Agni because I couldn't feed him." He began to cry as she helped him inside, fervently thanking the spirits that she'd already cried the sorrow from her body and could not give tears to any more. She laid him down silently and straightened his leg. He yelped sharply, then sighed as his eyes closed.

It was easier to work on healing him when he was knocked out, so she quickly cut the fabric away from the limb and saw swelling and bruising on his lower leg. She delved into his muscles and discovered a severed tendon, wincing and massaging the part on her own body. _It's a wonder he made it up the stairs,_ she thought distractedly, then pulled fresh water onto her hands and began the process.

Halfway through it, he woke up groaning and she pressed lightly on his chest. "Don't move," she murmured, and he nodded, laying back down and sighing.

"This never would have happened if we got the repairs in the factory done. I was up on the catwalk talking to my supervisor- normally I'm down below, lifting bags and carrying things. But the catwalk is rickety and rusted. I took a step and my leg fell through. All I felt was this sharp pain, and then I woke up and my buddies had taken me out into the street. They told me the supervisor wasn't expecting me back, and that I shouldn't expect a job for a cripple, so I came to you."

He leaned his head back, closing his eyes. "Before Lord Zuko died, we petitioned him to get a crew together and do some repairs. He was drawing up reconstruction plans and sending us updates, and we were really hopeful, ya know?" She didn't answer, and he went on, his reminiscent smile replaced by a hard sneer.

"But then that Azula took the throne, and she completely dropped the repairs. I heard she used the budget for the reconstruction to make a new summer house for herself on that damn Ember Island."

Katara stiffened, pursing her lips, remaining silent. He went on, and she hung on every word. "I don't get why she doesn't just stay in the old Fire Lord's summer home- I would say she needed a change of scenery, but from what I hear, the houses are only about a mile apart!" He cursed violently, and she moved away from his leg, having healed all she could. "At least Zuko cared about his citizens! Azula just cares about herself and those who give her what she wants."

He looked down, noticing his leg, and he flushed. "Sorry. I got carried away," he muttered, then stood and raised his eyebrows in surprise. "Wow," he breathed, turning towards her, his hand going into his pocket and drawing out a few coins. "This is all I have, but please, take it. Thank you."

"No," she said softly, "Spend it on some food for your children. I can get by." He nodded his thanks again and then turned, leaving her home with only a slight limp. She threw off her hood and locked the door, her mind racing.

Why would Azula need another summer home on Ember Island? She remembered that Ty Lee had gone to her first one and had bragged to Suki about it years ago. And they were so close together, both of them still standing. She realized in a moment that the house wasn't for Azula at all- _it was for Ursa._

She needed to get there, no matter what. She had to get to Ember Island and see if there was any chance that Zuko's mother was there- surely his own mom would know what had happened, what everyone was hiding.

"Finally," she breathed, then went into her room to plan her next moves without noticing the blue mask leering in at her from behind the glass of her bedroom window.

By the time she looked up, he was gone.

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><p><strong>I know it's short, but I promise the next one will be . Please review, tell me what you think is going to happen next! Who thinks Ursa will be on Ember Island, who thinks Katara is following a dead end, and who thinks something else? Let me know! Thanks :)<strong>


	12. Preparations

**Thanks for everyone who has reviewed so far! I'm very proud to present to you, in addition to this chapter, an AMAZING fan trailer for this story! There is a person, also named Aleina (we bonded over it; that makes only two people I know who have the same name as me) who made a video on YouTube for Endlessly, She Said. Go check it out** **at http:/www(dot)youtube(dot)com/watch?v=hZz4zxUuNnU, just take out the (dot)s and replace them with actual periods. **

**And remember to review!**

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><p>Chapter Twelve<br>Preparations

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><p>She could feel his arms around her, warm and comforting like she always imagined. His breath was in her ear, heating her skin and keeping rhythm with the steady beat of his heart against her back. She smiled. It had been so long since she'd felt him, and she needed the sensation to last.<p>

"Katara." The rough voice was quiet, and she didn't answer for fear of losing him. It was better to just stay in the moment for a little while longer if she could. He said her name again, insistently. She felt him slipping away from her and panicked.

"Zuko?" she whispered, holding her breath. She heard him sigh, felt his hand ghosting over her hair.

"I have to go now. I just didn't want you to wake up alone." She bit her lip to stem the flow of longing, and struggled to keep her voice from shaking.

"I'm already awake. You don't need to go just yet." She tried to find his arm slung around her waist, but her fingers grappled uselessly with the fabric of her sheets. The warmth she'd felt there was suddenly gone, and she knew it was only moments before it all ended.

"No, you're not. But you will be soon." She opened her eyes, desperate to see him before he left, but blackness still shrouded her vision. She cried out in blindness, reaching out, wishing she could touch him one last time. "I love you," he whispered, and was gone.

Her eyes opened to a leaking, dimly lit ceiling. The floor under her sleeping mat rocked in tandem with the waves she sensed, and she could see the stairs which led to the deck above the hold. Other passengers slept beside her, but the night made her restless, and she kicked off the blankets, striding up the steps and onto the bow of the boat.

It was pure luck that she'd found transportation to Ember Island so quickly. She'd only been planning for three days when she heard about the tour boat full of Earth Kingdom visitors who were staying at a resort on the island. She'd bought the cheapest ticket available a day later, packed a small bag and locked the door to her apartment, not knowing if or when she would be back.

She went to the railing and leaned against it, taking in the familiar disjointed image of moonlight floating on the water. The skies were clear, and she almost felt as if she could sweep the reflection of the white light into her hands, repair the shattered pieces and put it back in the sky, where it belonged.

_Don't go around thinking you can fix the moon when you can't even control your own life,_ a voice sneered from inside her mind, and she grimaced angrily. She saw a wave rising up in response to her emotion, and took a deep breath, the air hitching on the back of her throat as it always did when she was about to cry. The wave sank back into the water, and she clutched the railing of the ship, hoping that no one saw.

"The view does not please you, miss?" She looked to the left and found a sailor smiling at her. His eyes were a peculiar mixture of green and brown, and his hair was dark, flopping over his forehead and brushing his long eyelashes. The way he was looking at her was unsettling- she hadn't been around a boy her age in forever, not counting Aang.

"No, it's not that. I think the moon is very… beautiful. I just… sorry," she said with a little laugh, "never mind." The young man laughed too, giving her an appreciative glance. It didn't even look like he knew what he was doing, until he heard her little sigh. Then his eyes widened, and snapped back up to her face as he blushed. She lifted an eyebrow, smiling wryly, and he grinned apologetically in response.

"I'm Han," he said, sticking his hand out. She shook it.

"I'm Ka- um, Kalina." She smiled widely as tension curled in her stomach. She shouldn't be on Ember Island, not when she knew that Azula was having her watched, or followed. She had to be careful, avoid little slip ups that might alert someone to the fact that she was there. Han raised his eyebrows, then grinned back and casually sidled closer, again flicking the hair from his eyes and gazing out onto the water.

"Nice to meet you. So where's the name from?" he asked, and she pulled her hair over her shoulders, twining it around her fingers as she thought quickly.

"Gaoling, same as me." She used Toph's hometown, knowing she'd be able to give details if he asked. "My mom was Water Tribe, but my father was Earth Kingdom and he took us to live there when I was born because… I was very sick as a baby," she lied, thinking of Yue's illness. "He didn't want us to be too far from medical help if we needed it."

"I'm sorry to hear that. Are they on the ship with you?" She narrowed her eyes suspiciously, and he held his hands up in a placating gesture. "Don't worry, this is just a conversation, not an interrogation. No need to be so mistrustful, I'm half Earth Kingdom myself," he said, his gaze suddenly darker.

"No, my parents died a while ago in a… a fire. We weren't in the village," she amended hastily, "we were on the road." _This is harder than it should be- when did I get so out of practice?_ She knew she shouldn't be giving him so many false details, but she couldn't stop talking. He simply looked at her and listened quietly, waiting for her voice to trail off.

"So you're half Earth Kingdom?" she asked, trying to turn the subject away from herself. Han stopped smiling, his mouth suddenly turned down into a grimace and his eyes became defensive.

"Yeah. On my mom's side."

"And your dad?" she asked, anxiety beginning to coil in her gut. Han's eyes flashed to hers, then out again to the water.

"I'm the bastard child of a Fire Nation soldier and an Earth Kingdom woman." His voice was brittle and sharp, making her gasp and step back. He didn't seem to notice. "Her husband died in the war, and she didn't have anyone to protect her. He raped her, then pillaged the village and left with the rest of the Fire Nation demons."

There was silence for a long time as she struggled to find something to say. She'd heard stories about the invaders taking women and leaving them to raise outsiders, not accepted by either nation. But something about the way Han was gritting his teeth told her to proceed carefully. She laid her hand on his arm. "Not all of the Fire Nation is bad," she said quietly, but he just shook his head and turned to stare steadily and coldly into her eyes.

"I hear you're someone who sees good in everyone, _Katara,_" he said, and her blood ran cold. He studied her face. "Yeah. I know who you are; I have since you got on the boat. Your eyes, hair… everything, actually- it's distinctive."

She couldn't speak, not even when he grinned hopelessly at her. She was suddenly more aware of the bitterness in his gaze, and the calculating way he looked at her. "Don't worry," he said wearily, "I won't tell anyone who you are. I won't even ask why you're going to Ember Island." He peered over his shoulder, to the opposite side of the boat. "Speaking of which, we'll be there in about a half hour or so."

She looked in that direction as a dark shape appeared on the horizon, growing longer and wider as they approached the land. She nodded subconsciously, felt Han move closer. She trusted her instincts and stepped back, turning to look at him again. Surely he wouldn't attack her during night and surrounded by water, right?

He sighed and rubbed the back of his neck, leaning his weight on the leg furthest from her, dropping his offensive stance. "You should get some sleep, Katara." With that, he turned away and left her, calling over his shoulder, "We'll all get off the boat in the morning, when everyone is awake." As soon as he was out of sight on the other end of the ship, she turned and ran back to the steps, her heart hammering its way through her chest and unveiling an uneasy feeling as it split open her composure.

Maybe it shouldn't have been a big deal that he knew who she was. But something about Han made her very certain that she would have to be more careful than ever before. Katara took a deep, shuddering breath and laid back down on her sleeping mat, knowing she couldn't sleep but trying to keep up the appearance. What if someone was watching her, even now?

She laid still for an hour, listening to the sounds of the sailors docking the ship, calling back and forth to one another. Try as she might, she couldn't pick Han's voice out. As soon as everything was quiet, she bolted up, grabbed her things and went above deck. There were around fifty other passengers sleeping around her- fifty pairs of eyes that could be tracking her movements-

"Ugh," she muttered, slapping herself mentally. "Quit being so paranoid," she grumbled to herself, and then checked over her shoulder again, just to be sure. Nothing moved behind her, and she raced up the stairs with her heart in her throat.

The ship was eerily silent, and empty of all movement. She could see pinpricks of light beyond the port, perhaps lanterns lit by maids and forgotten about by those who readied the house for nighttime. The wind caught at her hair, ruffling it slightly, and she let it carry her towards the edge of the boat. They hadn't set the planks up yet, so there was only one way down.

She pulled water up to meet her as she jumped off the boat, and froze it around her feet as she rode the wave. The cold air raised bumps on her arms, and she pulled a dark cloak from her pack and over her shoulders, trying to warm herself. She swept her arms along her sides, up into the air, and the wave rose, carrying her down the length of the dark island. She didn't want to go ashore yet- her path would be nearly impossible to trace through water, and she knew she needed anonymity for this plan.

It only took about twenty minutes for her to make it to a beach she recognized, and she slid onto the shore as quietly as she could. Her arms ached, and her legs shook from the exertion. "Come on," she told herself sternly, "go find somewhere to sleep and then you'll be fine." Katara stood, brushed the sand from her clothes and hiked her pack higher on her shoulder, once again looking behind her to check if she was followed. She walked up the beach and into the town, keeping to the shadows as she had in Caldera, but searching at the same time for a motel or inn to stay for the night. There was no telling how late it was, but the sky was inky and oppressive above her, with no hint of dawn or dusk.

She finally found an open room at the motel next to a tavern, paying the inn-keeper extra to withhold her name. He gave her a grubby little key and leered at her, then stared blatantly at her chest until she left with her arms crossed tightly, and her shoulders hunched to spite him.

"Bastard," she muttered to herself, then opened the door to her room and locked it behind her. The furniture looked worn and shabby, a rough carpet met her feet when she kicked off her shoes, and she elected to put her clothes back in her bag instead of dropping them on the floor. She collapsed onto the bed and got under the covers, and was asleep within minutes, the scent of the ocean in her nose and the tension of hiding slipping from her muscles.

The next morning dawned early, and she groaned, rolling over. The ache in her muscles was much more pronounced than it had been last night, and her plan was still fuzzy in her mind. "Okay, I'll get up in five minutes," she murmured to herself, then shoved her hand underneath the pillow and snuggled further under the blanket, comforted by the steady summer rain on the window.

The next time Katara opened her eyes, the sun was high in the sky and it was no longer sprinkling. "Damn," she swore, vaulting out of the bed and then steadying herself. She hadn't meant to sleep that long, especially since she needed to get going. She stood up and stretched, feeling her joints pop, and moaned. Every move was harder in the morning, but there was no chance of falling back asleep. She stepped forward and examined her body in the mirror, turning to the side. She used to have a bit of a bulge on her stomach, something that made her feel soft and strong. Now, she could see her hipbones clearly, and could count her ribs. She'd let herself slack off, and vowed to get in better shape after everything was done. Then, she turned and began to get ready.

The inn-keeper looked even creepier in the daylight, his sallow skin contrasting with the greasy stringy hair which went down to his shoulders. He snorted when she handed back her key, and stood up, scratching his pot-belly. "I'll get the door for ya, sweetheart," he crooned, and she shuddered as he passed by- he _reeked_ of soiled clothes, smoke, and liquor.

She was passing through the door when she saw his hand drift closer to her butt, and her temper snapped. Within a second, she'd turned and grabbed his wrist, squeezing it as hard as she could and twisting it. He yelled in shock and pain as she lunged forward, knocking him backwards. "Don't even think about it!" she snarled, then threw his roving hand back at him and shoved him back further. "You think that I would ever let you touch me? You're disgusting, old, smelly, and let me tell you, that creepy little sneer isn't doing anything for your face or your game. Keep your damn hands to yourself!"

He stared, his eyes and mouth wide open, then ducked his head. "Sorry," he muttered grudgingly, and held the door open for her.

"Thanks," she spat, ignoring his ominous mutters as the door slammed behind her. She huffed and glared at the ground as she walked. Suddenly, a laugh rang out behind her, and she whirled around, ready to fight whoever it was, her eyes darting around to find the transgressor.

"So little Katara can take care of herself?" Han stepped out of the shadows to her right, his eyes hooded but his mouth twisted into a sinister half-smile. She stepped back. He stepped forward, and she bit the inside of her cheek, tired of the games and tired of feeling hunted.

"Yeah, I can. What are you doing here?" she shot at him, and he shrugged, calm and collected. Dangerous.

"We were missing a passenger on the tour, and they sent me to go find you and make sure you were okay," he explained easily, looking somewhere to her left and pushing his thumbs into his pockets. She was reminded of Jet's casual stance- and of the half-second it took him to become deadly.

"I think I'll do my own tour of the island, actually," she sneered, and began to walk away, her mind racing. She couldn't draw attention to herself by outright attacking him- maybe she could shadow him for a while, see if he went into any dark alleys? But no, the other sailors would be looking for him. She sighed, frustrated. The only option was to avoid him.

He wasn't making it easy, though. She heard his steps behind her and turned again, surprising him with an aggressive step forward. "What do you want?" she demanded, and for a moment, the hostility left his gaze and he was once more the friendly guy who approached her on the ship.

Then, his mouth hardened into a line, looking oddly pitiful next to the unmasked pleading in his hazel eyes. He reached out to her imploringly, and she hesitated before taking another step back, trying to locate nearby water if she needed more than what was sloshing in the pack on her hip.

"I want you to stay out of trouble on this island, Katara. Don't do anything risky, don't get too comfortable." Her eyes widened; his tone wasn't threatening at all, though the words themselves were a warning. It was almost as if he was begging.

But she couldn't listen to him, not now that she felt so close. She watched as he looked to the left again and took in a sharp breath, the color draining from his cheeks. She wanted to know what made him do that, but she didn't trust him enough to turn her back on him, even for a second. His gaze shifted back to her, jumpy and anxious. "I have to go. Please think about it, Katara." He walked past her, and by the time she was turning to look at him, he'd gone down a side street and vanished. She peered in the direction he'd been staring, but saw nothing out of the ordinary; a woman and a child walking, a couple Fire Nation soldiers milling about a store entrance, the trees swaying in the wind. She brushed her hair out of her face, caught a strand, then thought for a minute. She knew what had to be done, but she had no idea how to go about it.

She looked around and saw a larger woman eyeing her speculatively, though not in an unfriendly way. A maroon silk shawl was draped over her shoulders, and she wore expensive looking robes in a deep crimson color. She approached the woman cautiously, smiling with what she hoped was a naïve expression. "Excuse me, do you know if there is a salon anywhere near?"

"Of course I do, my dear! Go up this road and take a left, then look for a big purple sign," the woman said in a raspy voice. She smiled widely, showing off bright white teeth and a golden incisor. "Tell them Rhonda sent you, dear, they'll get you a fabulous deal on nails, hair and if you want, they'll even give you some make-up and things!" She grasped Katara's wrist and giggled. "They've got quite the cutie for a masseuse, too…"

"Thanks, but I don't have that much money, I just-" she began to refuse, but the woman snorted violently and pulled her closer.

"Nonsense, honey, my husband's given me tons of cash to make up for sleeping with my maid, and I'm feeling generous." She cackled, trying to press a small sack of coins into Katara's hands, who was starting to feel like a caged animal.

"Ma'am, I can't take all this-"

"Ssshhh!" Rhonda put a hand over Katara's mouth, and she caught a whiff of sweet wine. "You look like you haven't taken care of yourself, my dear. You have split ends, baggies under your eyes, and- oh! Those calluses on your hands are denser than my husband's skull!" Katara flinched, then raised her eyebrows questioningly. Rhonda grinned affectionately. "Now, off you go before I change my mind. I've got a date," she finished, and stepped away from her, leaving the coin purse in the waterbender's hands.

"Thank you," she said faintly, still caught up in the strangeness of the woman's demeanor. "I hope you have a nice date with your husband!" she called, and Rhonda turned around, a devious smile etched onto her face and her eyes staring woozily past Katara.

"Silly little thing," she whispered conspiratorially, "I'm not going to meet my husband." And with that, she sauntered down the road, leaving Katara feeling overwhelmed and completely out of step.

"You're calling _me_ a silly thing?" she muttered, but pocketed the money, blushing and avoiding the amused stares of the people around her.

So far, laying low wasn't working out for her. She made her way down the street and turned on the corner, spotting the huge purple sign immediately and pushing open the door. She was greeted by a strong smell of perfume, and the sight of a beautiful woman in a red robe bowing to her politely.

"Hello! My name is Lari and I will be your consultant today. If you have any questions or requests, all you have to do is ask!" Katara gave a startled laugh at the woman's name, then bowed as well.

"I'm On Ji," she lied, then followed Lari back into the shop. "Sorry if I seem a little surprised- your name is very similar to my daughter's name." Even mentioning Lani brought a thread of longing through her chest.

"What a coincidence," she replied with a gentle smile, then sat Katara down next to a screen and pulled the curtain closed behind them. "So I'll give you a list of our services, and then you can choose which ones you would like. Also, we have a magnificent blend of jasmine tea available today, if you would like some." Katara nodded, and Lari bowed again, leaving the little makeshift room. She glanced down at the sheet in her hands, then reached into her pocket for the bag of coins, counting the money and calculating how much she needed to spend.

_Think of why you're here._ She closed her eyes, her hands stilling over the metal pieces, then rolled her neck, trying to soothe the tired muscles. She needed to disguise herself, she needed to be more beautiful, and she couldn't get carried away. When Lari came back, she smiled. "I want my hair styled and dyed black, my skin lightened if possible, and I need make-up to make me… desirable." She wrinkled her nose at the last word, but it was necessary for what she was planning.

"Will that be all, miss?" She nodded, and Lari hesitated, then grabbed her chin gently, turning her face from side to side. "Hmm," she murmured softly. "Might I suggest a sugar scrub and a milk bath to lighten the skin, and perhaps a pumice treatment for hair removal and softening?"

Katara stared at her blankly. "I don't know what that means," she said, then gestured to the sack of coins. "I was sent here by Rhonda, but I don't actually…"

"Oh, you're one of Rhonda's girls?" she asked, then laughed. "Of course. I'll get everything ready, don't you worry about it." Katara quirked an eyebrow, reaching out to stop the girl.

"Hold on, what does that even mean? Rhonda's girl?" Lari gasped comically and put her hand to her cheek.

"Oh, I've forgotten that you wouldn't know- well, Rhonda is a very rich woman who is an absolute sucker for pretty girls. You have a very natural beauty, On Ji, it's no wonder she chose you. She loves giving us pretty girls and having them come out of our shop looking absolutely stunning," she said with a roll of her eyes, and for the first time in what seemed like forever, Katara giggled.

"Good, because that's why I'm here."

As Lari and a few other women gathered around and began working on her, she felt the knots in her back loosen up, and took deeper, unbridled breaths. She saw girls her own age, only nineteen years old, getting their hair done and gossiping. None of them had a vendetta, and she was willing to bet that only a few of them had ever seen love and misery as she had. She got a good look at herself in the mirror, and could barely recognize the happy expression and the relaxed posture.

It made her sad. _When did I get so old and broken?_ she thought, and bit her lip, her eyebrows knitting together. She could remember the days with Aang, Toph and Sokka, but she no longer felt the rush of excitement when she recalled the battles she'd won, the people she'd saved. Everything that had made her a master and a good human being had been sucked away by Zuko's death. She felt a hole opening in her chest, ragged and sore, and fought to control it.

This needed to end. She couldn't go on like this. Katara closed her eyes and took a deep breath, waiting for the commotion around her to vanish before she looked herself in the eye. What she saw made her smile- there was the old determination, not the hunted, haggard look of a jaded woman. There was the proud angle of her chin, the spark lighting up her skin.

_There you are,_ she mused, the voice in her head sounding more so like her mother than herself. _We're going to finish this._

_It all happens here and now. No more waiting._

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><p><strong>I know that not much happened in this chapter, but I felt like this needed sort of a pacer, something to slow it down a bit. I've been getting kind of intense, and I needed some humor for myself; I hope you like it anyways. Please review, and also remember to check out that fan video on YouTube! Thanks for everything guys.<strong>

**-Aleina**


	13. Ringmaster

**I would like to take a moment to thank everyone who has reviewed this story. The latest review count is 110, making it my most-commented story ever. I literally cried with joy, and I'm proud to admit it. You are the ones who make the hours of editing seem justified, the endless frustration bearable. You are the ones who make me keep writing when I have writer's block; even if I end up deleting everything I've written, it gets me past the trepidation and allows me to continue.**

**Thank you. Please continue to review, I'm much honored.**

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><p>Chapter Thirteen<br>Ringmaster

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><p>She stepped out of the salon furtively, her skin still stinging from all the treatments and her nerves still shot from the changes she'd made, even though they were temporary. Her skin had been lightened until she could almost pass for Fire Nation, and her hair had been infused with an inky herbal mixture which darkened the color from chocolate brown to deep, midnight-sky black. According to Lari, her skin would stay that way for up to six days if she stayed out of the sun. Her hair was supposed to last about two weeks as long as she didn't use any perfumed soaps or anything.<p>

She was wearing makeup to accentuate her lips and her eyes, and her hands and feet had been softened to the point of aching tenderness. Katara sighed, then pulled her hood up and made the walk down to the town square, looking for the brightly colored posters which would direct her to the next phase of the plan.

Her disguise was only partial so far- she needed another alibi before she could make her move, and it took some planning. She wandered down a narrow street teeming with people, smiling at passing children and laughing when a young boy ran into her shins, stood up and bowed, then ran away without a word. Everywhere she looked, women were talking, soldiers were holding cups of light amber liquid, and old maids gossiped about 'flighty young things with no respect for their elders'.

A deep green and orange poster caught her eye, and she approached a bulletin board. She pushed away the wanted posters and the job offers, pulling the one she wanted off the board. Huge black letters exploded from the bright background, which depicted an artfully drawn woman dancing with scarves, looked upon by a man wearing the Fire Lord's five pointed crown of flames.

_**Come see 'The Slave of Fire'! A gripping play of love, passion and forbidden fruit!**_ She rolled her eyes and scanned the release date, then gulped. It opened in four days, which didn't give her much of an opportunity- she'd been counting on waiting for months for a performance, which would have given her time to prepare, time to investigate. She looked up, trying to ascertain where the theater was from her current location, then gave up and began wandering aimlessly again.

She'd asked the people at the salon to make her look as desirable as possible, and she took off her cloak, instantly wishing she had maybe been a bit less vehement about it. She was barely dressed in a small burgundy shirt which fastened in a halter around her neck, pushing her breasts up uncomfortably. Her stomach was bare, and an artist had drawn a sharp, striking sun around her belly button in henna paste, leaving a deep reddish stain behind. Her pants were dark gold and gathered around her knees, and they matched the accent on her top and her shoes.

In short, she looked like one of those women that Suki and her had giggled about a few years ago- preening, shiny and way too concerned about appearances.

Katara spotted a large building ahead, remembering that this was the theater where they had seen the Ember Island Players perform that awful rendition of 'The Boy in the Iceberg', where her actress had professed her love towards Zuko's actor, making things suddenly very awkward between the two real benders. She giggled quietly, reveling in her memory of Zuko's skin flushing in the dimly lit theater, and of their silent agreement to never mention that night again.

She knocked on the front door, but there wasn't an answer. Dread pinched the area right behind her navel, and she shifted her weight, not knowing what she'd do if she couldn't find the director in time. After knocking again and waiting longer, she tried to open the door, only to discover that it was locked from the inside.

She looked around, then pulled water from the pouch in her backpack, threaded it through the lock, and twisted it, having absolutely no clue if she was doing it right. She blew a few strands of hair out of her eyes, then heard a little click and froze, accidentally freezing the water as well. She went for the handle and twisted it gingerly, then grinned as it turned without resistance.

"Toph would be proud," she muttered, then gathered the water from the cool metal and pushed the heavy door open, squinting into the darkness. She shut it the most of the way, but left it slightly open in case she needed to make a fast getaway. Then, she put her hands forward and took a tentative step forward, wishing she could recall the layout of the theater.

There were stairs somewhere which led to the actual stage room, but were they in the back, or to the right maybe? She sighed, then waved her hands in front of her, not wanting to run into anything. The path was clear, so she took another step forward-

The ground disappeared beneath her foot, and she wobbled for a moment before tumbling forward, letting out an ear-splitting shriek as her heart threatened to burst from her chest. She hit something bumpy, rolled and tried to brace herself, but the ground just kept moving and-

"Oough!" Her breath was knocked out of her as she finally hit solid ground, and she laid there, wheezing and cursing the stairs, and her insufficient memory of their location. She heard footsteps approaching and sat up, ignoring a rug burn on her elbow and looking around. Her backpack had thankfully stayed intact, and she grabbed it.

Fire erupted close to her, and she flinched back. It receded into a torch-like light, and she could just make out two figures. The closest one to her bent down, reaching for her, and she wriggled away.

"Oh, honey! Are you okay? Come here, you look hurt!" She stopped at the man's honeyed voice, and let herself be picked up and dusted off by a shorter man with a thinner waist than hers. Something sparkled on his eyelids, and he looked genuinely concerned. "Look at that, Yuki, I told you someone should have lit the candles! She just fell down thirty seven stairs!"

The man holding the flame, Yuki, moved it to the side, and she saw his eyebrows lifted in dismay. "Oh no!" he wailed, "I _knew_ I was forgetting something! This is all my fault Su Li, I can't even- oh, baby doll, I'm so happy you didn't break your neck!" He gasped, then moved closer, his voice panicked. "You didn't break anything, did you?"

Katara shook her head, bewildered by the femininity they exuded. "I'm fine, but thanks." Su Li looked her over, and his mouth popped into a comical 'o' as he brought his fingertips to his mouth, pointing to her chest with his other hand.

"Looks like something's out of place," he muttered scandalously, and she followed his gaze, feeling the blood rush to her face- her top had twisted during her fall, and she was revealing… rather more than she ever wanted to. She blushed, began stammering and tried to fix the fabric.

"It's okay, honey, we're all ladies here." Yuki smiled widely, then handed off his little flame to Su Li and walked behind Katara. She felt him jerk something, and her top righted itself. She brushed her hands over the fabric, then swiped under her eyes in case her makeup was running.

"Thanks," she said faintly, watching the men giggle and light torches on the walls on either side of them. The hall lit up, and they extinguished their individual fires. "My name is On Ji, and I want a part in the play. Who would I go to for that?" she asked, and Yuki exchanged a doubtful glance with the other man and began leading her down the passage.

"You're kind of late, baby doll, opening night is in four nights!" She shook her head, not willing to believe that after everything she'd done, it could end here.

"I know that it might be difficult, but I'll do what I have to- please, I don't even want a big part or anything, I just need to be part of the cast!" Yuki stopped smiling, and appraised her for a moment, taking in her serious expression.

"Well, you can talk to the director, Takani. I think he's in his room right now, I'll direct you there. You're sure you're okay?" She nodded, and he shrugged, leading her down a hallway and into the theater itself. Huge set pieces were being moved about on the stage, and everywhere she looked, actors were perusing their scripts, practicing 'bending battles' with brightly colored ribbon, and going over dance moves. That was the hardest thing to watch, especially when one of the girls twirled too far and dove head-first off the stage.

"You all look very… busy," she said lamely, and Su Li nodded fastidiously as the other dancers crowded around the girl who fell, muttering seriously and raning their necks for a better view.

"We are busy, honey! Yuki and I were just going to take a… a little break," he said with a blush, and Katara cringed, hoping he wouldn't share the details. "But we were interrupted by an unearthly shriek, and by the dazzling young lady who emitted it." He inclined his head graciously, then took Yuki's hand firmly and led the way around the stage. They went down a few more halls, some of them only separated by curtains, and then pointed to a room with a shabby wooden door and a hastily scrawled note across it- "Takani, Director and Supreme Commander of the Ember Island Players". For a moment, she thought the 'supreme commander' part was a joke, but one look from Yuki told her the title was a serious one.

She took in an unsteady breath, once more adjusting her clothes as the two men left her. She pushed her breasts up and summoned all the flirtatious energy she'd ever possessed. She let a sultry smile tense her lips, and lowered her eyelids a bit, hoping the look she'd practiced in the mirror would be good enough.

Then, she knocked on the door. It only took a few moments for it to open, and a man blocked her way into the room- he was short and squat, with a long thin mustache and sideburns the size of her igloo at home. "Yes?" he asked imperiously, and she bowed, pushing her chest out and then straightening up, feeling like a complete fool.

"Can I come in?" she asked, and he nodded, opening the door further to admit her. She cast a look around the room, searching for inspiration, then perched upon the little desk and leaned her chin on her fist, which in turn was supported by her elbow on her knee. "Director Takani, it is my _pleasure_ to meet you," she said huskily, and watched his eyes widen.

"Do what do I owe the pleasure, miss…?"

"On Ji," she said smoothly, then got up and strode towards him, trying to shimmy her hips, knowing she probably looked drunk. "And I'm here to do you an enormous favor." He raised his eyebrows, and she smiled again, taking a chance and tracing the collar of his jacket as soon as she was sure she wouldn't be sick.

"I'm here to give you an amazing dancer for your newest production. I'm not taking no for an answer, especially since I viewed your other dancers in their rehearsal. You need a little something extra, Takani. I'm that something, and I'll expect you to help me to help you." She groaned inwardly, but his eyes shone, and he stepped closer as she beat a hasty retreat, hoping to seem aloof and mysterious instead of entirely out of her comfort zone.

"But you don't know any of the choreography, and it's far too late to change it!" he sighed, and she shook her head with another cheek-cramping smile.

"I can learn quickly. Give me a chance, and I promise, you'll be extremely… content," she intoned, and watched the tremor go through his body at the innuendo in her voice. She gagged mentally, but he didn't seem to notice that she was laying it on too thick. _If I were any worse at this, I'd be as bad as the Ember Island Players themselves,_ she thought, then leaned back as Takani took another step towards her.

"I can't pay you full wage, you understand- and I'll be, uh, checking in on your progress, to make sure you're up to par." She nodded, and he went on, "I expect complete dedication- this is an art, you understand, and we have some very important, high class patrons who enjoy our performances."

"Like who?" she asked quickly, then realized her slip and smiled to cover it. Takani looked suspicious for a moment, but she pursed her lips and looked him up and down, and he seemed to relax.

"Like nobles who come to visit. We always give a private performance for a certain lady who wishes to remain unnamed, but she pays well to transport our equipment to her personal refuge on the island." Katara's heart beat faster, and she tried to calm down. Takani waggled his eyebrows, and she shuddered.

"I'll call Chihiro to come teach you everything you need to know. You'll be sleeping in the girls' quarters unless you have other lodgings, and… um, fornication with the, eh, male actors is… strictly prohibited." She studied his beet-red face, then stood tall and bowed, letting out a quiet sigh of relief.

"I can find Chihiro, sir- you might want to rest a little, you look flustered," she said sweetly, then backed out of the office and shut the door. She was still for a moment, her eyes wide, then let out a peal of laughter and squirmed. "I did it," she whispered triumphantly, then straightened up and made her way back through the maze of corridors and back to the stage.

Chihiro turned out to be a short, slight young woman with grey eyes and fair skin. Her hair was styled in a brutally short cut, spiking up like a boy's hair in the back, but sweeping her brow with thick bangs in front. "Takani took you on, did he?" she asked when Katara introduced herself as On Ji the new girl, and then she smiled and waved a hand in the air gracefully. "Ah, he always goes for the pretty ones. What did you have to do to get the part?" she asked curiously.

Katara flushed. "Act like a complete idiot," she responded, and was rewarded by a loud shout of laughter from her companion.

"I like you," Chihiro said smugly, "You're properly ashamed of having to sleaze with the boss to get the job. So you're a dancer?" Katara nodded, and Chihiro smiled gamely. "Great. I'll teach you the movements and everything, but you won't have lines or anything so it's pretty simple. Don't fall over or trip over another actor, and if you do, act like you meant to do it."

Katara smiled and raised her arms to mirror Chihiro's, throwing herself into the process, biding her time for the next couple of days until that private performance. She remembered Zuko saying that his mother had almost never missed a performance by the Ember Island Players, and was willing to bet all the money she had left that if she was in a production, she would be near Ursa.

And if she was near her, Katara didn't doubt her ability to get the two of them alone and discover what the woman knew, and if she had any information about the murder of her son.

They practiced all day. Katara was used to waterbending, used to the fluid movements she needed to use in order to maintain balance and power. She knew push and pull- however, push until the point of breaking was new to her.

"Come on, On Ji, you can do this." Chihiro's voice echoed through her foggy mind, and she stood up again, trembling and aching. She swung her arm out in front of her, then swept it to the side as she tilted her head to mirror it. Two graceful steps forward, then putting all her weight onto her back heel as she arched backward. Straightening up, stepping forward and twirl-

"Ugh!" she exhaled roughly as she lost her balance and hit the ground again. She felt Chihiro stop beside her, and sighed, pushing her newly-black hair out of her eyes and getting up. She heard snickers behind her, and whipped around, glaring at a bunch of other dancers. All the girls were stick-thin and sinuous, making her self-conscious about her larger hips and breasts. They slunk like cats through the shadows, with feline smiles upon their cherry lips and devilish rumors in their slit-like pupils.

"What are you staring at?" she snapped, and they tittered again. Chihiro touched her arm, but she drew away.

"Not much," one of them said- she couldn't tell who- and they giggled again.

"Yeah? Well same goes for you." She zeroed in on the one in front, recognizing her instantly. "Like _you_ have anything to be laughing at. Tell me, did you get a concussion when you fell off the stage, or are you just naturally this stupid?" Someone gasped, and she smirked savagely before turning on her heel and stalking away.

Chihiro followed her, grabbing her hand and whirling her around. She was smiling delightedly. "I've never heard anyone talk back to those bitches- usually they either take it lying down, or in rare cases such as myself, try and sock one of them in their pretty little faces." Katara didn't respond, being too lost in thought to formulate a coherent sentence.

She used to talk back to people- everyone did. But she'd never been the type of person to single anyone out, even if they deserved it. Except Sokka, but he was her brother, for spirit's sake. She closed her eyes for a moment, vowed to mentally berate herself when she wasn't on a tight schedule, then raised her arms into the starting position again.

"Let's just keep practicing. I've got the first dance down, but the spin is throwing me off on the second one. After that, I have it memorized, but-" Chihiro interrupted her with a laugh.

"Jeez. You practice more than anyone else here, although maybe that's not a bad thing considering you've only got a few days. Still, it's about time for dinner, and after dinner comes bedtime- no use dancing on a full stomach, it makes everyone feel cranky. Come on!"

Katara followed her friend backstage, slipping through a back door and into the back yard. It seemed like every actor in the production was staying for dinner, a roiling mass of people and smells and sounds. A couple girls passed them, gave the pair a death glare, then whispered behind their fingers as they passed. Chihiro rolled her eyes and stuck her foot out, tripping one of them into the other- Katara was suddenly reminded very strongly of Toph, and smothered a laugh.

"Baby doll!" Yuki came running up to her, his eyes animated behind their glittering makeup. He hugged her tightly. "I'm guessing you got the job- little miss innocent, you're not," he murmured with an exaggerated wink, and she blushed furiously.

"I didn't even do anything, I just-" Yuki covered his ears like a true actor, closing his eyes and shaking his head as he shouted 'No more, no more details!' which made a few passersby jump in surprise and look at him strangely.

"Ah, I thought I heard your dulcet tones," Su Li said from behind her, and Chihiro smacked herself in the forehead, muttering something along the lines of 'oh great, now there's _two_ of them'.

"Um, Chihiro, these are my friends, Yuki and Su Li. Do you know them?" Su Li looked over at Chihiro guardedly.

"We've met," he said snobbishly, and Chihiro's eyebrows shot up.

"We have?" she asked, and Yuki giggled quietly.

"You're in the room below us, honey. You came bounding up the stairs in the middle of the night, pounded on our door in the middle of an… arduous moment, and… well-"

"And you threatened to castrate us with a pair of rusty kitchen scissors unless we kept the moaning to a minimum," Su Li finished matter-of-factly, and Katara let out a shout of laughter. Chihiro grinned too, apologizing and blaming lack of sleep as they all went to find seats and got their plates of food.

The dinner passed quickly, and she felt a certain companionship she hadn't experienced since her younger days. Yuki protested loudly when Chihiro flung mashed beets at him, and Su Li criticized her blunt haircut good-naturedly.

"So how many performances are there?" Katara asked, and Yuki leaned forward conspiratorially.

"There's four public ones, and then a private one for a mysterious noblewoman. This will be our third for her, although we weren't sure we'd be invited back because last year someone accidentally set her porch on fire." He caught her shocked expression and misinterpreted it, hastily assuring her, "There wasn't any damage to the house, though, we got in under control."

"So does anyone know who she is?" Katara asked, and Chihiro snorted.

"Nope. She's really careful, always sits in the shadows, and she usually wears this huge cloak too. We don't know if she's young or old, pretty or ugly. Maybe she doesn't want her friends to get jealous about the private performances?"

Yuki laughed at that. "Honey, we're on Ember Island. Jealousy is like gold here, and the housewives are the big sellers and buyers."

"Maybe she's disfigured or something," Su Li mused, and Chihiro shrugged nonchalantly.

"It's not that big of a deal, our Fire Lord had a great big scar on his face and that didn't make him any less of a leader." Katara froze at the casual mention of Zuko, casting a glance around the table and seeing unusually somber expressions on every face. Chihiro sighed, then ruffled her hair, making it stick up more in the back. "You know, I don't get how he could spend years on a ship at sea, and then die as soon as he becomes Fire Lord."

Yuki tutted softly. "Chihiro darling, you're starting to sound like one of those conspiracy theorists," he said mockingly, then lowered his voice. "Not that they aren't sometimes right, though."

"Do you guys really believe that?" Katara asked in surprise, and they looked at her patronizingly.

"Come now, baby doll, you don't think it was actually an accident, do you?" he asked, and she hesitated for a moment, then stood up, unable to trust herself enough to talk about this without breaking down.

"I'm not feeling very well- I think I overdid it or something. Where do I go to get some sleep?" Chihiro exchanged glances with the two men, and stood as well, dumping her trash in a bin.

"You can sleep in my room, okay? As long as you don't snore. See you tomorrow boys, don't keep me up tonight," she said to the men, and they smiled innocently and exchanged goodbyes. The dancer led her to the hotel next door to the theater, and they went up a staircase to the third floor, stepping into a hallway. She counted the doors on the left, and watched as Chihiro unlocked the fourth door and pushed it open.

"It's not much, but it's only for a little while. We can separate that big bed into two smaller ones, and don't worry about paying for anything because the hotel owner is a patron of the company."

Katara nodded in thanks, and together they pushed the beds apart. By the time the hour rang out, she was tucked under the light covers, staring out the open window at the stars, letting them sing her to sleep in beautiful silence. Two of them grew brighter and larger as everything else faded, and she had to close her eyes to keep from being blinded. She smiled and laughed, hearing the sound echo around her, and she reached up to touch what was surely the most stunning star in the heavens. It felt like a whisper, like fingers ghosting over chiffon and like a secret kept in the shell of a child's ear, sweet and innocent. She reached further, into the light, and felt something smooth and cool. She tapped it, and it exploded in waves of shimmering bliss.

She laughed aloud, her eyes tightly closed, until the light faded. Then, she let her eyelids drift open, and saw the Blue Spirit standing silently in front of her. She stepped forward and raised her fingers to his shining cheek. The material beneath her fingers was cold as ice, hard as steel. Curiosity tugged her forward towards the unmoving masked man, and she looked him over. The Dao swords no longer glinted in the darkness- they were covered with rust and a black, tacky liquid. She swallowed, and tried to step back, but her body wouldn't cooperate.

"No," she said, then wrenched at her feet. They were frozen. "No," she said again, more urgently. Her hand wouldn't fall back to her side, it just kept inching towards the edge of the mask- but she was suddenly very certain she didn't want to see what was beneath it, she couldn't… "Stop! Wake up!" she ordered herself, screwing her eyes shut.

"No, Katara… reap the benefits you deserve." Azula's voice taunted her, and her eyes opened. She wasn't in control, as if her blood was being bent, and her fingers gripped the underside of the mask. In one smooth move, she ripped it off.

A skeleton stared back at her, a rotting corpse with empty eyes, empty eyes, empty-

She screamed as she shot up out of the bed, feeling bony fingers wrap around her. She struggled and clawed, then heard voices shouting and turned over the bed, vomiting on the floor.

"On Ji, stop! You're awake, you're fine!" She fell back onto the pillows, the dark, demonic shapes becoming clearer and morphing back into the familiar features of Chihiro. She looked scared to death, and Katara shrank back.

"I'm sorry," she murmured, and heard someone pounding on the door. She jumped, shook violently as Chihiro answered it hastily, obviously telling whoever it was to go away.

"Yeah, we're fine. I was leaning out of the window and lost my balance, which is why I was screaming. On Ji pulled me back in. Sorry for the disturbance, but you can go now." She shoved the door closed and leaned against it, stared at Katara with guarded eyes. "Maybe we should just get back to sleep?" she suggested.

Katara nodded. "I'm sorry," she said a second time. Chihiro waved it away, turned out the light again. Her voice drifted over to her in the darkness.

"Don't be sorry, On Ji. Everyone has ghosts- some just haunt us in the waking hours, while others infiltrate our dreams."

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><p><strong>Phwew. That took a lot out of me. I'm beginning the next chapter right now, and I'll probably continue writing through the entire night, so expect a quick update :) Also, I know this one is really long, but I think you'll enjoy it anyways. Thanks for everything! Please review!<strong>


	14. Masquerade

**Again, thanks for all the reviews! I know everyone is waiting for the Blue Spirit to be unmasked, and I want to let you know that I'm going to get to it sooner rather than later. I'm expecting this to be a very long story, so bear with me.**

**I got some complaints about the dream in the last chapter, how it was sort of unclear when she began to dream. I made it that way on purpose; when you think about it, you never consciously begin to dream. It just happens, which is exactly how I wrote it. Sorry for any confusion.**

**That being said, please enjoy! Remember to review!**

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><p>Chapter Fourteen<br>Masquerade

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><p>She was awakened by a sharp tap on her head, and groaned, rolling over. She could still feel the moon on her skin, though the power was faint, masked by the sun rising over the opposite horizon. She felt Chihiro poke her side again and winced. "Let me sleep," she mumbled, "We don't need to get up yet."<p>

"That's where you're wrong, On Ji," Chihiro said, then yawned, collapsing over the back of Katara's legs.

"I can't get up if you're laying on me," she responded hopefully, but Chihiro righted herself with a groan and pulled Katara's covers off. She smirked- growing up in the South Pole tended to make one less sensitive to cold. She was just shoving her hands back under her pillow when the mattress tilted, and she let out a shriek as she tumbled off the bed.

"Come on, I've been trying to get you up for the past half-hour," Chihiro begged, and Katara quirked her eyebrow as the dancer set her mattress back on the frame. She stood up slowly, stretching and feeling the blood sing in her arms and back. Her friend held out a cup of lukewarm tea, and she took a sip- mint, with mangosteen and a hint of honey.

"Why do we have to get up so early? Tonight's performance doesn't start until seven." That night was the final public show, the day after being the private viewing at what she hoped was Lady Ursa's home. The first performance had been disastrous, though no worse than usual, apparently. The second one had gone well until the third act, during which the man playing the Fire Lord forgot his important monologue and just repeated the Fire Nation Anthem over and over again until someone covered for him. She'd made two missteps, but for the most part, her dances were alright.

The part that made her nervous was that she couldn't see the audience very well- the lights on stage were brightly shining in the actor's faces, shielding the viewers with shadows. Anyone could be watching her. Her hair was still black, but her skin was beginning to turn tan again- she didn't think about that when she'd gone to the spa, she' only been looking for a way to get into the play without being discovered.

Chihiro shook her head. "Actually, that's where you're wrong. Mystery Lady changed her mind, and wants to leave the island tomorrow, so we have to perform for her today. Tonight's performance will be at eight instead, and we're supposed to be at her house by ten and set up by three."

Katara felt her stomach drop, and excitement took its place, bubbly and tingling. "What time is it?" she asked breathlessly, and stood up, rushing to the mirror and combing out her hair.

"Around six. Why so excited?" Chihiro's casual question reminded her of her disguise, and she reined it in, pasting a vapid smile on her face.

"Because I want to know who the mysterious benefactor is!" she exclaimed, and her friend rolled her dusky grey eyes, flicking her hair off her forehead and turning to leave the room.

"Takani wants us to start loading up the caravans and everything. As far as I know, we're loading up all the props and everything, costumes are taken care of, and we're required to bring fire extinguishers this time. I'll meet you down in the theater, okay?" Katara nodded and waited for her to leave the room, then sat on her crooked bed and looked down at her shaking hands.

"You're going to get the answers this time," she promised herself, "you're going to get to Ursa, find out what she knows and then live your life." The vow didn't affect her all at once. It spread over her gradually like night-flowers opening themselves to the light of the moon. She felt a tight knot in her chest loosen, and she stared in wonder at her hands. They had saved lives, they had held loved ones. These hands had hurt before, and healed. With the ten fingers, the sinewy knuckles and the soft palms, she was going to build her life again, burying what needed to be left behind.

She looked up and into the mirror, catching a glimpse of a wistful smile before she straightened up and left the room, making sure that all her clothes and things were in her pack, mentally noting that her mother's necklace was nestled between the fabrics to keep it safe.

She bounded downstairs and out of the hotel, blinking in the early morning darkness. There was a tinge of light over one of the hills, but for the most part, the world around her was cast in royal blue. She went around to the back of the theater, the entrance used by the actors and set members, and found Su Li and Yuki struggling to lift a huge cage which was painted to look like gold.

"Honestly, the girl playing the slave didn't need all this space to move in! She could have just shimmied her hips and been done with it!" Yuki complained, and Katara smiled lightly, moving out of their way so that they could load the prop onto a cart. She found Takani and got a list from him of items to grab, finding it easy to ignore his lingering stares.

It took the company hours to get everything loaded, especially when they took a break for breakfast and wound up reading the reviews of previous performances. She was the only one, other than maybe Chihiro, who didn't seem all that surprised that their play was only given one out of five stars. Some lamented the criticism and went off to buy liquor, while others swore loudly to do better the next time around.

Finally, everything was loaded up, and they were on their way. She jumped into a carriage with Chihiro, Su Li and Yuki, who spent the entire time quizzing each other on lines and blocking. She checked the sun in the sky, trying to discover the time, but gave it up as a bad job. Instead, she checked to make sure her pack wasn't falling into plain sight.

She'd gone back to the hotel during one of the breaks to grab her things, and had stowed them above their heads in a luggage holder. Katara doubted she'd be going back tonight, especially if she got what she needed.

For a moment, she wondered what it would be like to admit to her friends that she was Katara of the Southern Water Tribe, not a dancer at all but a lover on a mission. Chihiro would probably be mad, as well as Su Li- or maybe he would just pout and pretend to be upset that she hadn't told him. She was sure Yuki would find it incredibly exciting, and beg to be part of her plan. The thought made her smile, and she wished she would get the chance to say good-bye to them. It seemed like that chance was slowly fading into nothing as she was dragged deeper and deeper into the mystery.

"There's the Royal Summer Home," someone murmured, and she pulled the curtain aside to look outside the window. Her breath caught in her throat then- she remembered long, hot days practicing with Zuko and arguing with her brother, teaching Aang and laughing with Toph and Suki. The pleasure was almost painful, almost too bright, but she endured it, shuddering under the weight of the memories. She saw Zuko- young, smiling, cynical Zuko, so different than the proud Fire Lord she'd come to love just as equally.

"And that means we'll be here soon, right?" she asked, knowing they weren't familiar enough to catch the throaty sob beneath her breath, and Su Li nodded. Only moments later, he pointed out the window to a huge, ornate house with red pillars and a sloping, brick-shingled roof. "It's beautiful," she remarked, and heard assent from all sides. _You're almost there,_ she thought silently, and let a wry smile grace her lips before squashing it down and hopping from the carriage while it was still in motion.

She looked around her as the vehicle stopped behind her. There were guards at every angle, some of them checking Takani's papers, others inspecting the cast members and the massive carts full of props and set pieces. She was led with the other cast members into a secluded courtyard, one which had a stone platform only slightly smaller than the stage in the theater. Takani began shouting for people to set up, and Katara ran to a sundial to check the time- it was already one, and the performance started at three. Maybe she'd be able to slip away…

She turned, running right into a guard's armored chest. "What are you doing here?" he said, and Katara drew herself up proudly, bluffing.

"I was checking the time for Director Takani. We run a very tight schedule in the theater, and every moment counts. Now, if you'll excuse me," she said haughtily, and pushed past him, her chest contracting in time to her heartbeat. She let out a sigh, and chanced a glance behind her- the guard was still watching her steadily, and she knew she wouldn't be able to get away before the performance.

She helped everyone set up, only getting into her costume at the last minute, then got into position as the small band struck up the lackluster opening to the play. A girl wriggled onstage in a green skimpy outfit, shaking a tambourine and giggling loudly. A group of men went after her, Su Li among them, and watched her dancing. He called out to the other men, his voice deep, commanding and nothing like his real tone, and proclaimed that she was his, and only his. They staged a lame battle with wooden swords, the others pulling red scarves out of their chest pockets to signify blood and rolling around in death throes, clutching the 'wounds'. Su Li cackled triumphantly, and then was stabbed from behind by Yuki. The dancing girl shrieked.

"Fire Nation! Oh no!" she cried, and Yuki grinned menacingly.

"Ho, savage! I have come to bring you to my master, the Fire Lord! He will be very pleased by your dances!" She screamed theatrically as he charged forward and hauled her over his shoulder, carting her offstage as Su Li staggered to his feet.

"My love… ugh… will keep me… oh, the pain!- going!" he gasped, and dragged himself off after them. Katara tried and failed to control her snorts of laughter, and was given dirty looks by the other girls standing next to her. She heard a quiet 'ow!' and looked back- Chihiro was glaring daggers at the girl next to her, who was rubbing the back of her head as if someone had just reached up and smacked her. Chihiro scanned the group, found Katara and gave her a silent thumbs up.

In no time at all, it was their turn to prance onto the stage. She ran out, spun and jumped, grasped a girl's hand and twirled with her for a moment. She felt sweat pooling on her forehead, but it was almost immediately dried by the cool wind. Every time she was spun to face the audience, she caught sight of a black mass in the shadows directly in front of the stage, and she tried desperately to see under the hood.

She kneeled for the Fire Lord's entrance into the play, ignoring his roaring commands and peering out into the darkness. Try as she might, she couldn't distinguish any features. She closed her eyes for a moment, remembering the picture Zuko had showed her of his mother- the delicate nose and chin, the golden eyes and the aristocratic arch of her cheekbones defined her as a proud, regal woman. She would know Ursa when she saw her clearer.

She held her curiosity together for the rest of the play, and when the time came for the curtain call, she walked out with a smile as she'd been taught, and bowed low. There was no clapping, just the woman standing and being escorted back into the house by the guards. She felt the smile slide from her face, and ignored the insistent tugging on her hand to make her go backstage. Chihiro finally pinched her and led her back, immediately slumping over and massaging her feet.

"Ugh, I'm so sore already," she moaned, then looked Katara over. "Are you okay?" she asked, and Katara nodded.

"I'm fine. I've got to get some water though, I'll be right back." She turned, then revolved and gave Chihiro a quick hug. "Thanks for everything- tell Su Li and Yuki thanks too, just in case I don't see them until later tonight." She was babbling, she knew, but Chihiro just nodded and gave her a strange look. She left again for the carriage, pulled her things out from the luggage hold and swung the pack over her shoulder. She then looked around her, and froze when she saw a guard to her right, watching the other actors taking down the stage.

She acted fast, without thinking, and pulled a bit of water from her pouch. It froze into ice, and she clenched her teeth and grasped the sharp ice with her hand, squeezing and ignoring her instincts, and- "Ah," she gasped in pain, watching the blood flow from the cut across her palm. The water was splashed onto a plant, and she staggered to the guard, not needing to fake the tears of agony in her eyes.

"Please, can you help me? I fell down and-"

"No," the man snapped, and she stopped talking, weighing her options before pleading again.

"I just need to bandage this cut, the cast doesn't have sanitary materials for this. It won't take long, I pro-"

"No," he said again, his eyes boring down into hers. "Go back to your own kind, we're busy." She bit her lip and nodded, then saw over his shoulder another guard coming their way. She grasped at the tail end of a plan in her mind, then followed it to the current moment and began to sway.

'I don't feel so… uh," she said, closing her eyes and swooning. She felt her body hit the ground and remained limp, hearing the panicked voice of the guards. They were debating whether or not to leave her there when a third came up and picked her up, snarling under his breath. She kept her eyes closed and let her head loll sickeningly as they brought her inside, and she smelled lilacs and oranges on the air. The man holding her put her down on something soft.

"Let's go alert her, maybe she'll know what to do." She listened closely as his voice got quieter and as the three sets of footsteps moved away. She heard a door slide shut and lock, and opened her eyes. The room was huge and beautiful, but she didn't have time to admire it- she was inside, now she had to find Ursa. Katara got up and healed her wound until it was nothing but a scab, then unlocked the door using the same jiggling motion she'd used on the theater door. It took her longer, but eventually she heard the click, and pushed open the door.

The hallway was empty save for a table and a painting of a cherry tree and a pond. She crept down it, glad that her costume's slippers were made to be noiseless, and heard low voices emanating from a room on her left. She leaned in to hear what they were saying, and crouched low, her body tense and waiting.

"Fine, we'll make sure that she's comfortable, but you realize we cannot allow you to see her, milady." She waited for a response, but instead felt the door in front of her move- she didn't have time to react properly as the panel was shoved open, and suddenly she was staring at three very surprised guards.

One let out a bellow, and she sprung into action, pulling a water whip from her pouch and striking him with it, hard. It felt amazing to let her power free, and she vaulted into the spacious room, kicking another guard's feet out from under him and knocking him out with a ball of ice to his face. The third one grabbed her, she snarled and let his momentum drive them onto the ground. She rolled on top of him, punched once, twice, and-

"That's quite enough, Katara." The quiet, measured voice stopped her, and she twisted her body, gazing up at a woman who looked so familiar that she could hardly believe she'd never seen her before. Then, Katara stood up numbly and bowed.

"Hello, Lady Ursa," she murmured, and Zuko's mother smiled kindly at her, stepping forward and laying a weathered hand on her cheek.

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><p><strong>Cliffhanger, haha! I'm evil. Sort of. But don't fear, everybody, the next chapter is on its way! I'm going to go pass out now. Leave me a review, tell me what you think! Were you expecting it to actually be Ursa, or were you thinking I was going to pull a fast one on you? Thanks for reading!<strong>


	15. Taken in Faith

**These chapters might be sort of shorter than the last few, but I hope you are satisfied by their content. Again, thanks for the reviews! And I talked to the other Aleina again, the one who made the fan video- she wants to know if anyone was inspired to read this story by her video. So if you did, either comment on her page or something, or leave a review and I'll pass it on to her! I myself was very impressed by it!**

**And yeah, I know I'm updating twice in one day, but I just couldn't wait :)**

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><p>Chapter Fifteen<br>Taken in Faith

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><p>Ursa's eyes were the exact shade Zuko's had been, and Katara found herself lost for a moment. The Dowager Lady's hand was smooth and warm against her face, and her mouth was drawn up into a weary smile.<p>

"How did you know who I am?" Katara whispered, and the older woman moved her hand, the wrinkles around her eyes becoming more pronounced as her smile faded.

"My son… he talked about you often on the ship. He always spoke of your eyes, how he'd always known you could see right into him. Part of the reason he switched sides was to gain your approval." Katara stepped back, almost tripping over one of the fallen bodies. Ursa looked down with a slight frown. "I was beginning to think you would never come, my dear."

Her eyes widened, and she leaned forward. "You were waiting… for me?" she asked, the words getting caught behind her tongue, coming out as an affirmation when all she desired was a reason. Zuko's mother nodded, her golden eyes never leaving Katara's. "Why?" she asked finally, and the woman sighed, motioning for her to sit.

"I have been waiting for someone to come along who was resourceful enough to discover me. I couldn't risk anything more than calling the performers here every year- Azula knows how I love the plays, and it is the one luxury she has granted me upon my own request." Katara's eyebrows knitted together as she took a seat next to the other woman.

"Why didn't you just escape?" she asked, then looked away, at the fallen guards. "I know it would have been hard to get past the guards, but you've been here for almost three years- didn't you ever even try?"

"No," she said simply, "I did not." Katara waited for an explanation, but Ursa merely looked at her, a hint of obstinacy tightening her jaw and drawing her head up.

"Why?" she bit out, and Ursa stood, striding away from her swiftly, dropping the voluminous black cloak from her shoulders as she did so. She began to speak in a weary voice, and Katara felt no patronization in her words.

"I cannot expect you to understand, for you are young and we have led very different lives. For one thing, I am not a courageous woman- My one act of bravery was more out of desperation to save Zuko's life, and even then, I did not reap any benefit from it other than the knowledge that my husband could then kill him slowly in my absence." She swiveled, giving Katara a pleading glance. "I have not tried to escape for this reason, and for one other."

"And?" Katara demanded, but Ursa shook her head. Her temper erupted, and she stood, gesturing wildly. "I've gone through hell! Tell me what I want to know, so that this can finally end!"

Ursa strode towards her, the molten gold in her eyes freezing, becoming cold and unmovable. "You cannot honestly believe this will end here, my dear." There was an ancient wisdom in her voice, but she ignored it, protesting furiously. Ursa cut her off. "You are following a trail of breadcrumbs, but you will never have your fill. This is a forever consuming road, and even if it does have an end, there will be nothing further for you there."

Katara turned away, hot tears coming forth and spilling down her cheeks. "No," she denied vehemently, "this is all I have left anyways. I need to do this, and you _will_ give me the answers. Please!" She spun on her heel, imploring Zuko's mother, finding the woman staring at her with an endless sadness.

"Very well," she murmured. "The other reason I do not leave is because my daughter- my one remaining child- still needs me." Katara's mouth fell open, and her mind exploded with howls of betrayal. "I know you think that by doing this, I am dishonoring my son's memory."

She snorted, trying to block out the woman's voice. "Yeah, you've got that right. That's like telling her that it's completely fine to run the nation into the ground. I lived in the slums of Caldera for two years, Lady Ursa, but maybe you're not aware that your _daughter_ is destroying everything Zuko ever worked for."

"I'm trying to help- you may find it hard to believe, but one of the Fire Lady's chief duties is to oversee the charities dealing with the impoverished. I am well aware of the struggles of the poor, and I have tried convincing her to do something about it," Ursa said dryly, and the waterbender sighed, pulling back her temper. She was getting answers whether Ursa wanted to give them or not.

"What happened on the ship? The agent I talked to said Zuko was upset, and that you guys disappeared off the boat as soon as they made it into port." Ursa sagged, and sat in her chair. It occurred suddenly to Katara that she was no longer a young woman, though her beauty was deceiving. She'd seen and done horrible things, had heavy burdens that would never be cut free.

"In my years of banishment, I have been moved several times. I was first taken by Fire Sages to an Earth Kingdom desert, was sent to live with a knowledge spirit in his library." Katara froze, remembering the great, black-winged owl spirit and his antisocial nature. "I learned much from him, but the peace could not last.

"A man named Commander Zhao- although I hear he became an Admiral before his death- entered the library and found me on his way back from destroying several important documents. He had never learned the story of my disappearance, and thought he was doing Ozai a great favor. As soon as my husband heard that I was free, he had me brought back to the Fire Nation. I was imprisoned, and I know that by that time, my son had been banished as well. No one knew of my return."

Katara interrupted her there, quietly outraged. "Why didn't you try to contact Zuko or something? He needed you so much, just as I needed my own mother." Ursa's eyes softened, and she once again laid a hand on Katara's cheek. She fought the urge to shove it off her skin.

"My son told me of your mother, child. I am truly sorry for what I feel is one of the greatest transgressions of my nation- no mother should ever be taken from her children." She nodded tightly, and Ursa continued her tale, with a note of despondence in her voice. "I became very ill in my prison cell. I was watched constantly, and Ozai deemed me criminally insane, so no one believed that I needed to escape, that I had killed Azulon to save my son.

"I grew very hopeless, and grew sicker each day. None of the healers could help me, and while my husband didn't want me released, he also did not wish me dead. He sent me to a place where I could be better- somewhere I think you are quite familiar with."

Katara closed her eyes, realization dawning. "The North Pole," she murmured, and looked to the woman, who nodded solemnly. "When?" she asked, and Ursa glanced away.

"When Zhao laid siege on the Northern Water Tribe, he snuck me inside by disguising me as a Water Tribe woman and cutting open my stomach- I still have the scar. The healers saved my life, though I do not remember- I fell asleep, and did not wake for a long time. By the time I next opened my eyes, Zhao was dead, and I was being held captive by your sister tribe."

"So you were there, and Zuko was so close?" Katara asked, and slumped over disbelievingly. "So many things would have changed if he would have seen you again," she said, and try as she might, she couldn't help but blame Ursa for not trying harder to contact her son.

"Agni had a different plan for me," Ursa responded, then sighed and looked away, down at the guards. They showed no signs of stirring. "I was greatly weakened when I awoke, and the Chief had recently seen the death of his daughter- though of course, you would know that, I keep forgetting you were there as well.

"He took pity on me, and decreed that I would no longer be a prisoner. I was too weak to live on my own, so he gave me a supply of water from a healing oasis and sent me to the Earth Kingdom with some missionaries. I couldn't stay there, you see- I was a reminder of the great tragedy that had occurred. They took me to a convent, and it was there that I grew stronger."

Ursa hesitated, and Katara glanced at her. "What happened next?" she asked quietly, and Ursa closed her eyes tight, two pearly tears sliding down her cheeks.

"They- well, the Fire Nation came for me. Soldiers killed the innocent holy women, burned the convent to the ground and imprisoned me. I was left in the Earth Kingdom, far enough that Ozai could pretend to forget about me, and the only way I could keep myself from relapsing was to use the spirit water." She cut short, then averted her eyes and went on quickly, too quickly for Katara to ask what the flash in her tawny irises had meant.

"I was there for years before Ozai gave up my location. He told Zuko right before his death, but my son told me he had some things to set in order before he came to get me. One of them was to ensure you stayed in Caldera until he returned, which he accomplished by making you an ambassador. Another was to see to it that Azula was watched carefully. The third and final thing was to sever his ties with Mai, though this was a great secret."

She gasped, caught unaware by her admission. Zuko had done what it took to bring them together again- he hadn't told her, but here was proof that he had loved her still. She nodded her head in thanks, which made Ursa smile, wiping delicate sorrow from her eyes.

"My son came for me as I had known he would. And as hard as it may be for you to believe, his… his father approved, and when Zuko told me that, I knew what needed to be done. I went back with him agreeing to resume my duties, and to help him rebuild the nation. On the way home, he told me of his journeys, and praised you as one of the few who ever truly understood him."

"Why was he upset?" she interrupted, and Ursa froze, her eyes wide. She looked away from Katara and was silent so long that she repeated the question. "Why was Zuko upset? He had his mother back…"

"I cannot tell you, Katara. I swore to him that the information your question requires would stay a secret. Even in his death, I will not betray the information- not even to you."

Katara smiled faintly in understanding, knowing what she would hear next, trying to protect herself from the feelings she knew so well. "He loved you, Katara. Zuko loved you with all his heart, and he was determined to marry you." She bit her lip and stifled a whimper, but could not stop the tears from breaking free and falling.

"What happened, Lady Ursa?" she whispered, "How did Zuko die?"

Ursa's face fell, her shoulders slumped, and her familiar, beautiful golden eyes misted over. _No, this can't be happening. _She'd seen that look before. Katara felt the beginning strains of dread weaving through her, and fought the urge to run.

"I don't know," Ursa whispered.

Katara let out a sob, and hung her head in her hands, grabbing fistfuls of her unnatural hair and pulling it, trying to absorb the agony and disappointment as she'd done so many times before. The one thing she'd needed to know was lost to her forever. She would never know how her beloved died, whether her name was on his dying breath, or even if he died honorably, as it had been so important to him in life.

"We docked at port, and he snuck me off the ship. I could tell he was upset, but I didn't know how to comfort him- we snuck into the palace through a tunnel in the volcano, and he collapsed it right after so that no one could follow us. He hid me in his room and told me to stay there until he came back, and then he left.

"The next thing that happened was that Azula came in, hours later, and had soldiers seize me and take me here. I stayed in our old summer home, but I proved to be too familiar with its passages- she feared I would find a way to escape, and she built me this house, set up the guards and paid them well to stay silent. I knew that if she had a choice, I would live alone, imprisoned for the rest of my days. I have been waiting for someone to come along," she said again, and Katara sensed the end of the tale, "and that someone was you, Katara."

"Why me?" she asked, and Ursa smiled, wiping a tear from her tan cheek.

"Because I knew you would be the only one who loved him more than life itself- the one person who would continue to search for him even after he could no longer be found." Katara grimaced, let out a choked moan of pain and fell into her arms, letting go of her composure, letting the wave of sorrow wash her away.

The two women remained like that for an eternity, lost on the tides of what had been, too weary to look up to see the dawn of another day. Katara wept for Zuko, for Ursa, and for herself. She cried for the years she'd wasted, only to have it end in disappointment, and mourned the loss of camaraderie she'd felt with her friends and family. She grasped Ursa's hand tightly and whimpered, "I miss him so much."

"I miss him too, my dear," Ursa murmured, and Katara pulled away, surprised by the sudden fury she felt. It was so unexpected, but it was real and hot and painful, like poison.

"Then why, if you know that Azula killed him, are you still on her side?" Ursa looked shocked, and the blood drained from her pale face. "You know what she is," Katara hissed angrily, "you know exactly what kind of a demon she is to kill her own-"

"You remind me of her as a child," Ursa said in a hushed voice, and Katara reared back, then stood and strode away. "She used to lash out as well!" the Dowager Lady called after her, and Katara whipped around.

"I am _nothing like Azula!"_ she screamed, "I'll never be like her! Tell me- why do you still support her?"

"Because I have nothing else left!" Ursa shouted, her eyes blazing, her posture suddenly emanating force. Katara shrank back, her rage insufficient against the pain of a mother. "Because my husband is dead, my son is dead- she is the only thing I have left. I have not pride, nor honor, and spent too much of her childhood coddling Zuko when I should have been looking out for her as well!"

She began pacing, agitated as a wounded, defensive animal in a cage. "Azula is my child, and always will be. A part of me may hate her actions, may loathe her decisions and the monster inside her, but she is my little girl and I love her," she said fiercely. "You _must_ understand, Katara- haven't you ever had anyone so be important to you that you love them, even if they are broken and tortured?"

That brought Katara up short, a flash of Lani's smiling face fleeting through her mind. She heard the child's laughter, felt the protectiveness she always did when she considered the events that may take that light-hearted giggle away from her daughter. She remembered Zuko, sad and anxious for Iroh's approval, tormented by his sister and his father, and trusting her to love each him back, even from a distance.

The anger drained out of her, leaving her exhausted and empty. "Yes," she replied softly, "I know what that is- unconditional love." Ursa nodded, and the two women regarded each other, closer yet still separated by their entwined fates.

Suddenly, a guard moaned and stirred, and Ursa gasped sharply. "You must go before they wake," she said urgently, and pushed Katara closer to the door leading out of the room. The girl protested, needing more time, but Ursa shushed her quickly and retrieved the big cloak she'd worn to the performance. "Here, put this on," she ordered, and Katara did as she said with quick, deft movements. "You need to escape the island- don't give up hope, my dear."

She nodded bemusedly, pulled the hood up and turned to flee, but felt a cool hand on the crook of her elbow. She looked over her shoulder, then faced Ursa once again. The woman stared hungrily at her face for a moment, then sighed. "If my son had lived to take a wife, we might have been mother and daughter by now," she said, and pulled Katara close for a hug. The waterbender stiffened, then wrapped her arms around the woman, needily taking in the feeling of a mother's safety. She wasn't ready to let go by the time Ursa moved away with tears in her eyes, but she could no longer stay.

She ran from the room and down the hall, ignoring the fragmented thoughts and trying to focus on making it out alive. She heard a voice and vaulted under the table, her heart in her throat. A guard passed, but didn't look for her. He was headed in Ursa's direction- she needed to get out _now._

She rolled out from under the table and took off running, going to the place where she'd stashed her pack and grabbing it swiftly. Her lungs began to burn as she ran from the house, but she still had a long way back to town, where she could hide out until a ship came to the island that could take her away.

A blinding pain shot through her side, and she screamed, hitting the ground and rolling. Every move was torture, she grasped the side and her hand came away red- she rolled instinctively, and a knife quivered right where her body had just lain. She coughed and held her side, the scent of blood making her dizzy, and drew up a shield of ice right before another small knife embedded itself in the frozen water. She gasped, seeing a shadow coming at her, the figure distorted by the ice. She drew the knife into the shield, and through it, letting it drop into her waiting hands. The water trembled, then slithered to the ground as she gasped and felt the cut in her side seep more blood.

"I'm sorry about this, Katara." The voice was familiar, and her eyes widened as the figure stepped forward. He leaned down and grasped the knife with a gloved hand, then turned once more to face her, twirling the weapon between his fingers.

"Han?" she managed, and gritted her teeth against the pain in her side. He'd hit her in the soft flesh just between her ribs, deep enough to be in danger of bleeding out. She dipped her hand in the puddle before her and began to heal the wound, but her exhaustion and fear made it hard to concentrate.

Han strode closer, his face somber. "I said, I'm sorry. I know it hurts, but it will all be over soon," he said regretfully.

"Why?" she asked, "How did you find me and- ugh!" She spat blood and began to shiver uncontrollably. He flicked the knife again, and she held up a bloodied hand. "Wait! You owe me answers!"

He paused, then his face shut down and he sheathed the weapon, leaning back out of his crouch. She held her water-gloved hand to her side, once more attempting to heal the wound. She felt dizzy, but struggled to hold on.

"That knife was supposed to hit the center of your back- very little blood, close to no pain at all. It would have been a swift kill… I never wanted to hurt you. She's got my mother, Katara. I've got to save my mother."

"Who?" she ground out, and Han's eyebrows raised.

"Don't you know? Azula. Fire Lord Azula found me while my mother and I were in Caldera. I was trying to find my father and tell him I knew everything. Azula found out, and she helped me find him. I- I killed him." He hung his head, and his voice became quieter, helpless. " I never meant to, but she was there and egging me on. It just… happened. She said it had been a test, and that I needed to do something for her, but I refused. Azula said she could easily frame my mother, and had her arrested. She'll release her if I kill you, or if I die- but my mother can't go through that."

She tried to drag herself away, but he stepped closer. "I have to protect my family," he said, and she looked into determined, hopelessly pleading eyes. "Please forgive me. I'm so sorry."

His words seemed to come from far away, and she heard the agony as it echoed around her. She couldn't feel her body anymore- everything was just so light, so cloudy that the only thing she could feel was her heart. It thudded loudly in her chest, but nowhere else- she couldn't feel it in her arms nor her ears. She couldn't hear it.

A thought occurred to her- Zuko. She was going to see Zuko soon, and she let out a sigh, concentrating hard on his image, but still seeing Han begging her for her leave to die. She tried to smile. "I forgive you," she mouthed, and saw him begin to cry as he pulled the knife back out. Something moved behind him- a black figure.

It was Death rushing to meet her, she knew it on sight. She felt herself falling backwards, but kept her eyes on the figure- a flash of blue welcomed her, and a silver blade materialized, like mercy, like home.

But the metal wasn't meant for her. She saw the figure step up behind Han, and suddenly the steel was protruding from his chest, his eyes were wide and unseeing, and then he was falling, falling… gone.

The last thing she saw was a leering, blue mask, staring down at her and steadily growing closer.

And then she was gone, too.

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><p><strong>Review for a quick update :) let's go for twenty!<strong>


	16. Tension

**I'm really sorry this took so long to get posted. I promise that this time, it wasn't my fault.**

**I want you all to know I haven't forgotten about this story, though. Please enjoy, and review. I'm going to nap now, thanks for reading!**

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><p>Chapter Sixteen<br>Tension

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><p>Katara was smiling. Joy was thrumming through her veins, giving a slight tingle to her skin when she moved. Her eyes were hungrily devouring his face, taking it piece by piece and reassembling the image in her mind, to lock away, safe and sound. She had spent enough time, wasted years sharing him with the others. But this was for her, and her alone- this heavenly image, a small token to carry with her always.<p>

"I miss you so much," she said, and he smiled gently at her, dressed in the informal clothes he'd worn when they were younger. Zuko had once complained about how the Fire Lord is always dressed in ceremonial robes- she'd laughed and told him that other nations might think he was a ninny if they found out he went to peace councils in his pajamas.

"I miss you too, Katara… but I'm worried. I want you to be happy." His voice faded into nothing as tears came to her eyes, and she shook her head, clutching his robes and pulling him closer.

"I'm happy now, with you," she whimpered, her voice breaking as the pain cut the strings of her will. "This is the only time I can actually… I just- I love you, Zuko." She closed her eyes as his hands traced her face and wiped the tears from her cheeks.

"Oh, Katara," he sighed, "I love you too. But you can't be with me, not yet. You're too important to just throw it all away." She dug her nails into the skin of her arm and began to feel the dream slip away. Her eyes burst open, and she reached out to him.

"Zuko!" she cried, panicked at the thought of losing him so soon. He was sliding away from her, standing and watching her leave with sorrow in his eyes.

"It's okay, Katara. I'm always with you." She shook her head.

"Then why can't I feel you?" she murmured, and suddenly he was close again, and his lips were on hers, tasting of the sweetest promise he could make. It was silence, pure and simple and filled with poorly-masked desperation. It wasn't an answer, a denial or an affirmation. It was everything she didn't need but couldn't live without.

"I have to go," he told her firmly, but his hands didn't release hers. "Wait for me, Katara. Don't join me yet. Just wait for me."

"Endlessly," she said, and sealed the vow with another kiss, just the lightest touch which carried the weight of all they would never do, never see together.

And just like that, he was gone, and she was coming back, and-

Katara gasped as her eyes opened, felt agony lancing through her side, and froze, letting the waves crash over her before even realizing that they were made of icy, burning pain, not the water she commanded. She could see, but she couldn't make sense of what she saw- just meaningless shapes in a monochromatic backdrop.

_Think,_ she commanded herself, trying to gather the bird-like thoughts hurtling around her skull. Still, she couldn't shake the desire to just close her eyes and fall back into her dream world. She forced her hands to move, and felt something soft beneath her fingers. It gave slightly when she pressed down, and she tried to take in a deep breath, not expecting the pain to rip her eyes wide open.

The burst of adrenaline was all it took for her surroundings to assemble themselves into reality. Katara looked around the small room, not recognizing it exactly, but knowing she'd seen the dim lighting and the earthen walls before. She was in a rickety little bed with the covers pulled over her body- but something was missing.

She ran her hands over her body, bothered by the alien feel of her skin, then stiffened- she shouldn't be feeling skin where her pants were supposed to be. The realization dawned on her, and she felt for her skimpy little costume top, finding it instead replaced by a black shirt which billowed around her, twisting beneath the sheets and constricting her movements.

"Damn," she swore, and then froze as the door began to creak open. She catapulted herself out of the bed instinctively, bringing her arms up for a fight, then felt the world tip. She crashed to the floor, dizzy and aching, while stinging nettles spilled from her side. She felt her eyes close without permission, and curled up, trying to stem the flow of pain from her wound.

Strong hands pulled at her shoulder and looped under her knees, lifting her off the ground and back onto the bed. She sighed and opened her eyes, the gaze traveling up black gloved hands, over a black shirt that was eerily similar to the one she wore, and stopping on a bright blue and white demon leering down at her. She recoiled when he reached out for her, but he just stopped moving, looking down at her.

"The Blue Spirit," she murmured, and he nodded slowly. He held up one finger as if telling her to wait, and left the room. She didn't try to get up again, knowing that she was too weak to escape. It was better to be complacent now, to find out where she was and how to get out, and make her move when she was ready.

He entered again, holding a roughly hewn wooden bowl. He set it on the table, set a spoon in it, and left. She waited, but he didn't come back in. The smell of the food was appetizing, making the hollowness in her stomach more prominent. Katara picked up the bowl and sniffed, trying to determine if there was an acidic scent, anything that didn't belong there. Then, she tipped the soup down her throat and laid back.

Her mind replayed the last things she remembered as she burrowed deep under the covers, moving gingerly to keep her side from ripping open. She knew Ursa could be in trouble for talking to her, but trusted the woman enough to take care of herself. And Han- he'd tried to kill her.

She didn't blame him for the most part- she knew the desperation he must have felt, knowing that if his mother died, it would have been his fault. But it didn't matter if she blamed him or not- he was dead anyways.

She heard a soft knock on the door, and the Blue Spirit opened it again, then approached her steadily and held out a ratty piece of paper. The writing was thick and clumsy, but she could still make it out- 'I need to redress your bandages. I promise not to hurt you.'

The waterbender shook her head with a wan smile. "I can take care of myself. I just need my water, and then I can heal this thing and get out of your hair." She squinted at him, at the black hood covering his head, and shrugged. "If you have hair, that is."

Blue looked down at her for a moment, then slowly nodded. She took it to mean that he had hair, but then he pulled her pack from underneath the bed, went inside it and brought out her water skin.

"Thanks," she muttered, and uncorked it, putting her palm over the mouth and drawing it upwards. Nothing happened. She glanced at the masked man standing above her, then furrowed her brow in concentration and tried again. This time, a shaky little stream of water followed her movements, and sweat broke out on the back of her neck. It felt as if the water weighed as much as a rock- was this how earthbenders felt?

The water slithered back into its home as she dropped her hand, breathing hard. It scared her, not being able to bend without becoming so tired. It scared her because there was a strange man in her room- though from the look of things, it might be his room- and because she wasn't entirely sure why he protected her and looked after her.

"Sorry, Blue," she said, and watched him stiffen at the nickname. She smiled in triumph, but he just held out the sign again, pointing to it for emphasis. But the cut from Han's knife was on her side, and she only had on a shirt. She'd have to pull it up… Katara's eyes widened, then narrowed, and she folded her arms tightly across her chest.

"What happened to my clothes? Why aren't I wearing pants?" she demanded, and Blue stepped back at the sound of her cold voice. He got on his knees and rummaged around under the bed, pulling out a dark red torn shirt and a ragged pair of pants. She recognized the shorts, but her shirt had been a light golden color, not…

"Oh," she said. The red color was dried blood, she could see splotches of gold on the short capped sleeves. Her face suddenly felt cool, and the soup threatened to make a reappearance. "I didn't know that I… bled so much. Sorry, I thought- well, that's not important. Never mind." Blue held up his finger again and came back with a pile of loose paper, an ink-stone and water and a brush. He set it down on the bedside table and scrawled something with his left hand.

'I swear I didn't do anything but change your clothes. You had your-" he paused, then kept writing, "little cover things on the entire time. There was just a lot of blood. I need to check the wound and redress it, but I won't touch you unless it's okay with you." She nodded, and he pulled more white bandages from under the bed.

"How much stuff do you have under there?" she wondered aloud, and then turned over onto her right side, letting him pull down the sheets. She gasped when she felt his icy hand pulling up her shirt, and stilled under his gentle touch.

It had been the longest time since anyone had ever handled her so carefully. Even Aang's movements had always been rushed and uncertain- nothing like the practiced, swift movements of the mysterious guardian. He deftly untied the white ribbon-like fabric, and she watched as he rolled it around her body in the opposite way it had been put on. She arched her hips so that he could get the binding the rest of the way off, and gasped with pain when the movement opened the cut on her side.

His gloved hands rested on her hips, and his thumb rubbed slow, soothing circles on her skin. She felt herself grow warm, and looked away when he drew back. She heard the whisper of a brush on paper, felt him tap her shoulder. When she looked over, he was holding out another note. 'Sorry if this hurts.'

She nodded tightly and turned back slowly, then felt something swipe across the cut and bit her lip, hard. Tears sprang to her eyes as he cleaned the skin, washing away all the dried, congealed blood and leaving small pink rivers to drift over her stomach. He put a wad of something soft over the gash, and she smelled tea tree oil just before feeling it drip coolly over her side. Blue pressed a line of cotton down as she would have done as the Painted Lady, and then began to wrap it again.

After he was done, her chest felt tight and her head swam. "Thanks," she gasped out, and he wrote down 'you're welcome.'

Katara let a half-smile grace her face, then rolled her eyes. "You know, this would be a lot easier if you just talked. No matter what I do, you never say anything."

'I can't' he wrote back, and her brow wrinkled in confusion.

"Why not?" she asked, and leaned over gently to see what he was writing. She uncertainly laid a hand on his broad shoulder, feeling the fluid tension in his muscles, flexing and relaxing under her touch.

'I was born a mute. It isn't something that can be healed, I've dealt with it all my life and that won't stop now.' She watched the man hold out the paper to her, and nodded her understanding.

Katara inhaled, felt the tightness of the bandages keeping her body together, and winced. "Thank you for everything," she began, "but I really need to go home. Is there any way you could show me how to get out of here so that… what?" He was shaking his head, and she felt tendrils of anxiety lapping at her stomach. "What are you saying no to?"

He turned and began to write, making her wait impatiently. She snatched the paper from him when he was done, reading it out loud and feeling the color leave her face. "Your apartment is being watched. The boy in Ember Island isn't the only one who wants you dead." She snorted and crumpled the paper in her fist. "Tell me something I don't know," she muttered.

'Why are they after you?' he asked her, sliding another note into view. It was the type of question that set off alarm bells, and she stared at the paper tensely for a moment before realizing her stupidity. The Blue Spirit just might be the only one left in the city who actually looked out for her. Hadn't he killed Han? Hadn't he taken her back to somewhere in Caldera, kept her from dying? And even though she hadn't known Lani at the time, the Blue Spirit had saved them both in the alley that day.

"They are after me because I'm trying to find something that should be buried," she murmured, and suddenly, her muscles relaxed and breathing became easier. Saying it was a relief, something she'd never thought she'd feel so strongly. "I want to know who killed Zuko, and when I find out, I want to kill them, too."

'Why?' She stared at the slashed question mark, the clumsy dip and swirl of his letters, and felt his curiosity burning a hole through her trepidation. She looked from the paper into the black pits which served as his eyes, wondering what sort of man would hide behind a mask from the one he protected so fiercely.

"Because I loved him," she said simply, her cerulean gaze wide and pure. "I loved Zuko, even though we couldn't be together, and he loved me. He was everything I had ever wanted- and I know I've changed, and that even if he was still alive, we wouldn't be together, but he's all I think about anymore. Him and my daughter- well, you know Lani. Thank you for that," Katara added, and Blue inclined his head.

"Zuko had hope for his nation, for this entire world. I was willing to stand behind him, because I loved him- I still do," she admitted, and then stopped, surprised by the welling knot in her throat and the exhaustion that suddenly wracked her body.

He seemed to notice her lack of energy, and wrapped his arm around her side, lowering her gently back onto her pillow. "Thank you," she whispered, searching hungrily for any hint of color behind the darkness of the eye holes. There was nothing, but nothingness wasn't as scary as it once had been to her. It was just another place to get lost when everything faded.

She felt a gloved finger stroke her cheek, and just had enough time to smile before she welcomed the abyss and went gratefully into unconsciousness.

When she next awoke, she could tell that hours had passed, and that the moon was waning. She felt it in the distance between the water and her power, she felt it in her blood. It was stronger than it had been in her youth, the connection between her body and her bending source. Katara stretched minimally, biting her lip to keep from swearing at the sharp pain of the knife wound.

Another urge was steadily approaching, a twinge in her bladder that couldn't be ignored. She swung her legs carefully out from under the sheets but sat up too quickly, gasping in shock and holding her ribs, trying not to panic at the agony. "Spirits damn this, I should have been healed by now," she cursed, and then stood up gingerly.

The room was dark, but there was a small candle flickering in its holder, and she took it, ignoring the hot wax drying on top of her skin, considering that the pain was minimal. She moved soundlessly to the door, and pushed it open slowly to avoid making a loud noise. It creaked, but there was nothing she could do to quiet it.

The hall was dark, but she could see small flickering flames on the walls, shadows dancing away from the torches. She put her right hand along the wall and searching forward with her feet as she had in the theater- she wondered if Su Li and Yuki were still talking to Chihiro, if Takani had looked for her at all or simply given her up as a runaway. They had been good friends, even if they never truly knew who she was. Maybe once all of this was over, she would go visit them.

She felt a disruption at the wall, felt something give beneath the weight of her hand, and brought the candle up to reveal a wooden door, smooth and polished. It wasn't locked, it was slightly open and she could see brightness emanating from behind it.

Katara couldn't stop the curiosity, and cautiously pushed the door open to see a figure wearing black, lying on his stomach. For a second she didn't realize who it was, but then saw the edges of a blue mask surrounding the jaw-line and smiled. Blue was asleep.

Her eyes traveled down his form, noting the way his hands clenched and twitched around imaginary swords and the hard, unforgiving angles of his shoulders. He was a strong man, probably more muscular than Zuko had been, but without the added benefit of bending. She smiled, then caught sight of a strip of pale skin and moved closer, entranced. His shirt had come untucked from his pants, and was rising above his lower back, showing off two small divots at the base of his spine- but there was a darker line across his skin, and her eyes widened as she realized what it was.

Brutal scars slashed across his back, mottled and raised like snake skin. It looked like someone had ripped him apart with no direction, just let the blows hit wherever they were going. It was uncontrolled, wild. She bent down, and before she knew what she was doing, her fingers drifted across the exposed skin, tracing a long, thin scar.

He erupted in movement, swinging around, grabbing her wrists and pinning her down. It hadn't even taken a second, and she froze with him on top of her, his stomach pressed against hers, his heartbeat pounding against her own chest. She was caged by his body, by the soulless slits he had for eyes. She stared up into them for what seemed like forever, and then his weight was gone, and he was standing up, striding away from her.

Katara let out a shaky breath and sat up, desperately trying to maintain her composure. She followed him out of the room and into the hall, barely conscious of the pain lancing through her wound. He walked around the corner, and she followed him into the room where they had questioned the Dai Li agent.

"What happened to you?" she asked, her voice cracking, and he stopped walking, then turned and shook his head. She stepped closer, he stepped back with his hands up, telling her clearly to stay away. She took a small step away from him, her mind racing, and studied him.

Finally, she sighed and hung her head. "I wasn't trying to… to see your face, or anything. I know that if you wanted me to know who you are, you would have taken off your mask by now." Silence greeted her words, exactly as she'd expected, and she felt the tension slither away from her body. He turned back away from her, his shoulders slumped, and she felt shame color her cheeks.

"I'm sorry, Blue," she said, and then tried again, walking slowly to him, giving him time to walk away. He didn't, and she reached a trembling hand out to touch his shoulder lightly. When he didn't flinch away, she breathed a sigh of relief. A sense of déjà vu washed over her, and she said hesitantly, "I could try to heal the scars, you know. I don't know if it would work, but…"

He grabbed her hand and began to turn, keeping her fingers on his body but moving them from his shoulder to his chest. She felt his heart beating steadily through the fabric and skin which hid it, and he shook his head. She laughed softly. "I wasn't really expecting you to agree," she murmured, and once again felt his hand on her cheek.

She felt like he was pulling her in, and there was nothing she could do to stop it. His hand drifted down her neck, and over her shoulder before he stepped away. She felt the blush on her face grow hotter, and leaned back, somewhat horrified by the attraction she felt. She was living for Zuko now, there wasn't any room for a mysterious, tall dark stranger.

"Where's the bathroom?" she blurted, and then shut her mouth, wondering if there was anything more awkward that she could have said. Blue cocked his head to one side, then pointed to a door on the other side of the room. "Thanks," she muttered, and turned. He stopped her by grabbing her wrist, but she didn't look back to him, afraid of what she might imagine in the depth of the mask's eyes.

He caressed one smooth circle around the joint of her wrist bone, and then she felt him no more. She heard his near-silent footsteps moving away from her, and once more felt tension stronger than steel on her back. She left the room, unsettled, intrigued, and ashamed that for one moment, she'd forgotten all about the reason she was even still there.

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><p><strong>Please review!<strong>


	17. The Past

**Thanks for everything guys!**

**Please enjoy this chapter as a small token of my gratitude.**

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><p>Chapter Seventeen<br>The Past

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><p>"Ow!" she cried, and squeezed her eyes shut, knowing if she tensed her muscles, the pain would be worse. Fire burned her veins and swept up the column of her throat until she let out a whimper, trying to dispel the pressure. She felt a warm hand touch her hip, keeping her down as her body flexed and bowed. She opened her eyes, frowning up at Blue.<p>

"How the hell did you learn to do stitches?" she groaned, and he shrugged before once more poking the needle through her skin. She bit back a scream but couldn't control her body, and was instantly glad he was holding her in one place. Her limbs strained, her skin was on fire, and his hands were there, anchoring her to the earth and keeping her together. His hand was warm, lovely, comforting- like Zuko's had been.

And suddenly, she hated it. She didn't want his hand on her ribs, feeling the breath in her lungs, cleaning the flow of her blood. She didn't want him healing her- it felt too personal, too close. She couldn't acknowledge the pull she felt for him, and when his thumb ran over her hip bone, she broke.

"Stop it!" Katara snapped, and he hesitated, then took his hand off her body. She bore the rest of the tidy stitches in silence, and sat up without looking at him when he was done. She stared at the floor, dizzy at the pain, and felt heat in her stomach, traveling up her throat as a metallic taste flooded through her mouth.

She jumped off the table and hobbled as fast as she could to the bathroom, ignoring the quiet footsteps coming behind her. A swift wave of nausea brought her to her knees, and she leaned over the sink, feeling his hand on her shoulder. She pulled a tiny icicle from the spout and flicked it at him. "Go away," she muttered, and then her stomach flexed and she got sick.

Blue was holding her hair out of the way. He was still touching her, and she straightened up, forcing back the sickness as she leaned against the counter and pushed him. "I said go _away!"_ Katara snarled, "I don't need your help! I was just fine before you came along!"

The waterbender watched as his shoulders stiffened, and he left the bathroom. She knew to wait for him to come back, but every passing second, she was getting angrier. She heard quiet plops behind her, and turned to see water dripping quickly out of the faucet. She took a deep breath, felt it fuel the rage inside her, and the drips of water became a stream.

Katara didn't fight it. She craved the anger, the heat- she wanted to lose control, lose everything. She wanted to start over.

The door creaked open, and the Blue Spirit held out a pad of paper, black ink spattered in chaotic drops, furious words snaking across the page- 'You weren't fine. You were more dead than alive.' Katara shoved the paper back at him with a sneer.

"I wasn't talking about when you found me on Ember Island!" she shouted, and the man scribbled something else and held it up for her to see.

'Neither was I.' She narrowed her eyes, thinking back, trying to remember another time when he'd saved her from the brink of death. "What are you talking about?" she demanded, and rolled her eyes as Blue began to write. She cast a glance around the room, sick of the cool, clingy air and sick of being alone with him and her memories. She left the bathroom and heard him coming after her, into the living room.

The Blue Spirit tapped her shoulder. Katara whirled around, taking steps back, and he threw the pad of paper to her, watching as she caught it and began to read. 'I'm talking about the very beginning. From the first time I saw you I wanted to protect you, even from yourself.'

Katara bit her lip, thinking back. It had been after Zuko's funeral that she'd moved- but when had the man in the cerulean mask started coming for her? It was almost as if he'd just been there all along. "Blue… when did you start watching over me?" She handed back the paper and sat down, fighting to stay calm and control her curiosity.

The response seemed calmer, his letters erect and fluent. 'Think back to your first patient as the Painted Lady in Caldera.' Katara looked at her guardian, then back at the note, running a hand through her hair and ignoring the twinge of pain that shot through her newly stitched up wound.

It hit her suddenly, and she gazed into the black eye sockets of the mask. "There was a woman and an infant," she breathed, "they were… they were outside the tea shop. Crying- the woman was crying."

_She couldn't sleep, knowing that someone outside her home was sobbing hard enough to wake her. Knowing that some poor soul had endured all they could in silence, and that tears were the only thing they had left to give. Katara sat up in bed with a sigh, then drifted to the window, feeling ever more like a ghost of who she had been. Her white funeral dress was still crumpled on the floor next to the cheap apartment's bed- the room itself was the size of the closet in her house in the Upper Ring of Caldera._

_Still, she had grown up in a tent, surrounded by snow and humble people who worked for everything they had. She had never been meant for glamour, or even happiness. Zuko was gone. It was all just so tiring, and she wanted nothing more than it to end. _

_But the cries from outside brought her to the window, craning her neck to see a woman slumped in front of the tea shop, her dark hair shadowing her face and her shoulders shaking. Katara watched blankly. She knew that before everything had fallen apart, she would have helped the woman, but Zuko was gone. There was no reason._

'_Stop it,' a little voice murmured in the back of her mind. She cocked her head to the side, shivering as the woman gave a wail of deep, penetrating sorrow. She couldn't take it anymore- it was as if she was looking down at her own heart in that woman's body, feeling nothing but pain. She couldn't listen to it, didn't want to recognize the loss buried between the cries and feel them echoing in her own body. _

_She turned away from the window, but something stopped her- a sudden movement outside. She froze, trying to see what shouldn't be there, knowing nothing but her instincts telling her that something was watching her. _

_Katara felt something cool touch her hand and jumped, not even realizing she'd pulled a stream of water from the wash basin by her bed. The feeling of anxiety disappeared, and she turned back to the window, strengthening her grip on the water, making it swirl faster in her fingers. _

_She saw a flash of blue, and jumped, peering out at the dark world, interrupted by the slotted length of her blinds, leaving too much unknown. There was movement right in front of her window, and she shoved the blinds up and out of the way, her heart beating in her throat, the adrenaline rising in her stomach like a dragon awakening from a hazy dream._

_The blue thing vanished, and suddenly all that was left in the night was the crying woman. But Katara felt different. For the first time since going underground, she was conscious of her heart beating. There was a woman who needed help, and she could no longer feign the death in her life. She couldn't deny herself._

_Katara let out a breath, concentrated, and the water began to glow blue. She smiled, her dry lips cracking from disuse, and then went away from the window, to her front room. A heavy black cloak had been purchased from a street vendor, as well as red henna paint that the vendor had said would lighten her hair. She put on the cloak and spread the paint over her cheeks, drawing dramatic lines and swirls around her eyes, dabbing it on her lips._

_She threw the cloak on, pulled it over her head, and gathered water in both hands. She took a deep breath, then shook the water free violently, watching it hang in the air and spread out into a fine mist. She took the mist with her, out the door and into the night. _

_The woman had turned to watch her. Tears glistened on her cheeks, and Katara knelt down next to her and wiped them free. "Tell me why you are crying," she murmured huskily, and the woman held her arms out, revealing an infant that was too pale, his little chest heaving. _

"_My son… he is sick. The doctor took all our money and said my baby h-has water in his lungs, and won't live." Katara felt a surge of energy, and straightened up. Water- she could heal, she could help._

"_Come with me. I will do all I can." She turned and heard the woman get up and follow, and the baby boy started coughing, a hacking, wet sound. Katara flinched, but opened her door and let the woman in. "You must go in the other room and wait," she ordered, knowing that whatever happened, the woman couldn't see her waterbending. She's just gone underground- it would do no good if she flaunted her bending. _

"_What?" she asked anxiously, but Katara just shook her head and pointed to her bedroom. "Who are you?" the mother asked, and Katara thought quickly. _

"_A… messenger. From the spirits. I will do all I can, but you must leave," she said again, and the woman bit her lip, beginning to cry again as she handed her baby to Katara and shut the door quietly behind her. _

_Katara breathed a sigh of relief, then looked down at the boy. He was breathing shallowly, and was waking up, his tiny fists clenching and his legs twitching weakly. She laid him down on the rug, took a deep breath, and laid her hands on his chest and stomach. She could feel the moisture in his lungs, and began to move it, tenderly pulling it out through his mouth. The boy's eyes opened, and he gazed at her with curious, golden eyes. _

_The color was exactly the same shade as Zuko's had been. She bit back a whimper and braced his body, siphoning the water from his lungs, healing his throat and mouth and trying to bring down the fever. She felt someone watching, but heard the mother sobbing in the other room- it was just a leftover reaction from her unease at the window, it had to be. _

_When she was done, the baby was sleeping again, peacefully. She knocked on the door, and the mother opened it quickly, her eyes guarded but hopeful. "You can take him home now. Bring him back if he begins to get sick again." Katara's words were met by more tears, and a disbelieving glance towards the baby. _

"_You… saved him?" she asked quietly, then covered her mouth with a shaking hand and scooped up her child, cradling him close. Katara felt a pang of desire for her own mother, but squashed it down. _

"_Thank you… thank you so much! Who are you?" the woman asked again, and Katara smiled gently, leading her to the door. _

"_The Painted Lady. Please, tell no one of this." The woman nodded, touched her shoulder in tentative thanks, and then left. She began to close the door, enjoying the feeling of being useful again, then froze as another small flash of blue caught her attention. It was gone within the instant, but she could just make out the black figure disappearing over the rooftops._

_Katara shivered and closed the door, unable to shake the feeling that whoever it was had been watching her every move, and had seen everything._

"It was you?" she asked the Blue Spirit, and he nodded. She got up, running a hand through her hair again. "Why?" she demanded, "Why were you so interested in me?"

His note came quickly. 'I knew who you were from the first time I saw you. I also knew that you needed help, because you couldn't help yourself.' She looked up at him, about to argue, then thought it over- spending days in bed sobbing, losing weight, interest, contact with the real world- and closed her mouth, continuing to read instead. 'That night, I saw how it helped you to heal others. So I decided to give you more business. If I saw someone who was injured or sick, I told them to go to the Painted Lady over the tea shop, but said if they revealed who told them, you wouldn't help them.'

Katara smiled grimly, remembering the curious silence of her first patients. Some had just pointed to the injury and said nothing, while others had asked if she was ghost. Over time, they had come to realize she was just a healer, but there had still been an air of mystery and intrigue whenever she allowed a person into her home.

Every time she had healed someone, she'd felt something inside her lift, as well. It had been distracting, seeing people, trying to stay secret and never letting them see her. But she'd liked being able to help them. Some of them were victims of Azula's mistreatment- like the man who was in an accident at work, or the child burned by a guard for stealing bread. They all had stories to tell, and every story had lessened the impact of Zuko's death until she had been completely free of the void. Until nothing but the deep, permanent sorrow remained.

The Blue Spirit had looked out for her long before she knew him. Katara closed her eyes, felt the muscles in her stomach curl, felt the pull Blue held for her. She stepped closer to him and looked up into the mask, wondering for the thousandth time what a man had to have gone through to hide himself from the world.

"Thank you," she murmured, and went up on her toes, pressing her lips to the cool metal cheek of the mask. She felt him still beneath her touch, and stepped away, her heart pushing blood to her cheeks and her mind whirring. She turned and left the room, striding back to her bedroom and pushing the door shut, holding her body together as it threatened to pull into two parts- the one that loved Zuko still and always would, and the one who was careening into love with a man she didn't know, and never would.

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><p><strong>Thanks for reading! Please review, sorry for the wait!<strong>


	18. Emerging

**I am so so so sorry this took so long for me to write. I got really depressed and just went numb. There's really nothing to say, except that I'm back now, and I'm determined to finish this. Please, I hope you still read this and review it. I'm so sorry.**

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><p>Chapter Eighteen<br>Emerging

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><p>"Blue?" Katara's voice echoed in the small room, and she peeked around the corner to see her companion slashing the air to ribbons of silence. He turned quickly and sheathed his swords, but she didn't go on, mesmerized by the smooth, practiced movements of his swordplay.<p>

He cocked his head to the side, telling her to go on, but she bit back the question about lunch and instead stepped towards him. "Can you teach me how to use those?" The question was out of her mouth before she realized what she was asking, and it hung like a fog in the space between them. The water bender blushed, then tucked a piece of hair behind her ear and folded her arms.

"It's just… well, I don't always have water around to bend. I was thinking maybe that if I knew how to use knives or something, I'd be a little bit more prepared. I don't know. Never mind, but I was also wondering what you wanted for- hey!" She dived to the right, narrowly missing being impaled by a thrown knife. She glared up at Blue from the floor.

"What the hell was that?" she shouted, and then rolled, avoiding another blade which hit the ground where her hand had been and skidded, resting against the far wall. Blue was advancing, and she didn't think, just acted. She rose up into a crouch, lunged for the steel and wheeled around, expecting an attack that didn't come.

Blue was staring down at her, spinning a knife between his fingers. "What are you doing?" she demanded, and he walked to the wall, scratching a message on it.

'Where were you looking?'

"At you," she answered, and he shook his head and kept scratching words into the wall.

'When you fight a bender, you watch the element. When you fight a weapons master, you watch the weapons.' She nodded, thinking back to her fight with Mai, and remembered how hard it had been to catch the needles and knives in ice before they hit her and Sokka. Blue spread his feet apart, and with a flick of his wrist, sent another knife hurtling towards her.

She jerked to the left and shot her hand out, brushing the handle before it clattered to the ground. He shrugged, and she picked it up, eying him apprehensively. The Blue Spirit stood still for a moment, then threw himself at her as she shrieked and wildly slashed at him.

She froze when something cold and sharp hit the soft skin of her throat. He had gotten under her swing and pressed his knife against her throat, and then stepped back and made a slitting motion. He didn't need words to say it- _you're dead._

More words were cut into the plaster wall, and she studied them as he relaxed beside her. 'Drawing on what you know- when you waterbend, you wait for the right moment to strike. The same is true for knives, if you're too hasty you'll defeat yourself.'

"Wise words," she muttered, and punched his shoulder. He flinched away, then nudged her until she smiled and blushed. Katara ignored the voice screaming at her from the back of her mind, the one which just said _Zuko Zuko Zukozukozukozuko traitor traitor Zuko Zuko unfaithful-_ and faced Blue.

"Can we go slower?" she asked, and he nodded. He stepped towards her and raised his arm, the blade moving towards her neck, and she countered the blow, hitting the inside of his elbow and then grabbing his arm and twisting it. He resisted, but she kicked his legs out from under him, and he crashed to the ground. A laugh bubbled out from behind her control.

"Katara, master of ice, water, and weapons!" she yelled, and looked down her nose at the man still crumpled on the ground. She smirked and put her foot on his back, striking a triumphant pose, her arms raised in victory.

She didn't expect him to grab her foot and tug hard, laying her flat out onto her back. The air left her lungs and she grabbed her stomach, curling into a little ball with a grimace on her delicate features. "My stitches," she whimpered, "I think you… ow!" Immediately he was kneeling by her side, his hands on hers, the knives lying forgotten on the ground. She whimpered again, and he shook his head in regret.

Then, Katara grabbed his hands, yanked them towards her as she raised her foot and planted it against his chest, kicking him off and throwing him to the ground. She pounced on him and held a knife to his throat, feeling his heart beat against her thigh, breathing hard from the victory and from the sudden rush she felt.

"I'm sure you were going to say something about letting my guard down… but you should really follow your own advice, Blue," she taunted him, and he stared up at her through the mask's eyeholes, his body languid and relaxed. She was suddenly very aware of the fact that she was wearing his clothes, and that their bodies were pressed together… very aware that she had kissed him only a couple days ago.

He reached up and stroked her face, then shifted his weight, his muscles tensing beneath her. Katara swallowed and rolled off him, staring at the ground as he sat up and looked at her. For someone who never spoke, had never said a word to her, she could hear his thoughts pretty clearly. There was a deeper bond than she wanted to admit- than she _could_ admit.

"That's enough for today, right?" she asked, and then left the room, her back tingling from the weight of his gaze. She shut the door behind her and sighed, making her way to her bedroom- Blue's bedroom, actually, that he'd let her take over.

She kicked off her soft leather boots and went over to the cracked mirror, squinting until she became accustomed to the dim light. Then, she pulled up her shirt, inspecting the neat row of stitches marching across her side. He'd done a good job on them, as if he'd done them many times before. But was he a doctor? Maybe a soldier gone rogue?

The skin around the thread was tight, and she could already feel the itch of scabbing wounds. She'd healed faster than she thought she would, especially since she'd only been able to help the process along minimally.

She pulled a swirl of water from the basin and concentrated, opening her mind to the space around her, waiting for everything to rush in and tell her exactly what to do. She guided the water to her side, up and down Han's last act until the skin was shiny and pink, instead of a mottled scab.

"Finally," she breathed, and released the hem of her shirt, searching around the room for something sharp enough to cut the stitches out. The knife she'd taken from Blue was too big to fit beneath the thread, so she walked into the kitchen, her eyes narrowed and her stomach gurgling unpleasantly. They had eaten breakfast hours ago, and had skipped lunch.

Katara rifled around in the cupboards, finding a cool hunk of bread, and reached into the icebox for a piece of cheese. After she ate, she opened drawer after drawer, finding nothing that could take the stitches out without cutting her open.

She felt a tap on her shoulder and jumped violently, just barely holding in a shriek. Blue's shoulders shook, and she chipped a piece of ice off the cooler and flicked it at his head, where it bounced harmlessly off his mask and dropped to the floor. He held out a little note- 'try freezing the stitches and breaking the ice. The thread should be weak enough by now to snap in half, and then you can just pull it out.'

"How do you write so fast?" she asked casually, and did what he suggested. A half hour later, the skin was raw and tender, but completely free of foreign materials. Blue clapped mockingly as she swept everything into the trash, and she smiled, punching him lightly like Toph would have done.

She wondered for a moment if Aang had taken Lani to see Toph, and bit her lip at the pang of longing she felt. She missed her little girl, the bright smile, the innocent eyes- she knew sending her to Iroh was the right thing to do, but she couldn't wait any longer to get her back somehow. The only way Lani could come home was if it was safe. The only way Caldera would ever be safe for them was if Zuko's killers were brought to justice.

She thought back to her days on Ember Island, trying to remember just how long it had been since then- a week? Two weeks? Now that she was healed, there was no reason to stay.

"Blue…" she hesitated, felt him stop moving and pay attention to her. Her voice sounded all wrong, soft and weak when she needed to be strong and determined. "I need to go."

Silence greeted her words- silence in the lack of movement, in the frozen posture of her one ally. She knew she'd surprised him because even his hands weren't moving as they usually were, flexing and relaxing. She felt something begin to grow in the pit of her stomach and swallowed, stepping closer to him plaintively.

"I know that probably seems like it's coming out of nowhere, but… okay, well you know Lani? I miss her more than you could ever know. I feel bad now that I'm healed. I could have been out of here days ago, I could have found who killed Zuko by now and moved on with my life."

He swept his arm out, and with a flick of his wrist, wrote the three words on a little scrap of paper that she would have given anything not to see.

'Why didn't you?'

Katara knew there was no way out of the situation. He knew her well enough to be able to tell when she was lying. She didn't want to lie, anyways, it was just another wall to put up and hope that it stood long enough for her to leave. The floor seemed to sway as she stepped closer to the mystery before her, and curiosity burned in the emptiness behind his mask. "I didn't because I couldn't," she murmured quietly, "I couldn't leave you."

Blue raised a hand and swept it along her cheek, down the length of her neck. She nodded, and felt the tears swell up into her vision, cleansing her eyes so that when they left to spill down her cheeks, she could see the world a little more clearly. "I don't know your name, or what you really look like. I don't know if you had a happy past, if you ever loved someone before- I don't even know h-how you feel about me," she said, stumbling over her words. He touched the tip of the pen to paper, but she shook her head, and he set the items down, listening, waiting. She had to say it now, before his silence brought her own.

"But I've stopped really caring about those things. I loved Zuko- I still do, but that road ended a long time ago." The tears fell faster now, and she bit back a half-hearted chuckle. She felt so stupid- always loving someone that would never be hers. Pining for her mother when she was young, lusting after Zuko when he was promised to both another woman and a country- and now, the elusive Blue Spirit, a man who couldn't kiss her through his mask, who would never tell her everything she didn't know.

"I'm falling in love with you, Blue," she said softly, "but I need to finish what I started on the outside before I'm free. You live without boundaries and rules. I want that, too, and I need to go get that right." He didn't move, still frozen reaching halfway out to her. Katara let her breath go, hoping it would loosen the knot in her chest, and he let his arms hang, his body go limp.

When the Blue Spirit finally straightened up and nodded briskly, she turned and fled the room. The mask couldn't hide everything from her- she knew him too well. She knew when he was laughing, when he was thinking, if he was angry or frustrated. It was when he put on the heartless posture, the mechanical responses that she truly felt like he was hidden from her.

The cool floor met her feet without noise. Her door didn't creak as she opened it. Even the sobs that shook her spine, made her heart ache and her breath catch, were silent. After living with ghosts for so long, it seemed only natural that she'd become as quiet as the grave. She packed her sack with the clothing she'd been wearing instead of the costume he'd brought her there in- it didn't make sense to keep it, considering it was spattered with gore and didn't suit her, anyways.

Katara's hair had been hanging loose for a while, but now, she pulled it back and swirled it into a small knot before braiding it the rest of the way down, tying a little string of leather around the end of the thick plait. She went into the weapon's room without Blue, took a few knives and their sheaths, and hid them in her clothing and boots. She glanced over at the wall of suspects and targets, reading each and every one of the names, hoping she'd remember them if she heard them being described as the victim of a murder, late at night, by an unknown swordsman.

As soon as the waterbender was ready, she stepped back out into the hallway, maneuvered her way through the simple maze of rooms, and found her guardian sitting against a wall in the makeshift bedroom he occupied. His gloved hands were laced together around his bent knee, and the mask was tilted towards the ground, so that she almost wondered if he was asleep.

"Blue?" she asked softly. He raised his head, then stood slowly and went to her, wrapping his arms around her, holding tightly like he wouldn't let go. The moisture in her eyes threatened to spill over, but she swallowed thickly and held onto him, trying to mask the pain she felt as he did for his own. When she pulled away, her face was blank. She didn't look up at him.

"Can you take me home?" she requested, and felt the air move- he was gone, heading out into the hallway and beckoning over his broad shoulders. She followed him into the armory as he strapped the Dao swords onto his back, folded throwing stars into his belt and shirt, made himself into a dangerous criminal.

He turned back to her, then drew his swords. A move like that would have scared her before, but she knew he wouldn't hurt her. She trusted him. He slashed the swords through the air, bringing the flat blade down on the torches, putting them out instantly. The world went black around her as her skin tingled with awareness, as she waited for him to show her where to go.

His rough gloved hand met hers, and he tugged her forward. She trailed her fingers along the cool wall, apprehension bubbling in her stomach and causing her hands to tremble. He led her through the darkness, gliding slowly and silently as a spirit-

And then a sliver of light appeared. She drew in a breath, gazing at the bright, whiteness she'd missed for what seemed like forever. Their steps were faster now, the light growing and illuminating a stone passage which led up, into the waking world. Blue's grip was tighter, as if he was holding himself back from grabbing her and whisking her back down into his cool world of darkened hues. She could feel the restraint in his stiff shoulder, in the way his thumb grazed her hand.

They came to a door, half open. She could see the mask and the body, and felt with everything inside her the sadness he felt. "Blue," she murmured, and hugged him, her arms clutching him tightly. She knew he would be out and about, that he'd still watch over her, but leaving felt like giving something up. She couldn't explain it, just buried her head against his shoulder and fought back the tears. He rubbed small, soothing circles on her back, and drew away, facing her.

The Blue Spirit put a hand on his chest, looking out at the sliver of the world the door showed, and drew his hand across the empty light. Then, he reached forward and cupped her chin, wiping away the tear which escaped before bending forward and laying the forehead of his mask against the hollow of her neck. She understood instantly, and nodded her head. _I will be here, in the world around you and inside your heart._

"Me too," she whispered brokenly, and grasped the back of his neck, bringing his face back up so that she could once again press her lips to the cheek on the mask, avoiding the fearsome teeth and leer. "I love you."

And then he was gone, moving back into the darkness with hurried steps, so unlike his usually controlled, silent gait. She bit back a cry, forced her reaching hand back to her side, and pushed open the wooden door before she could follow him. She stepped out into her old world, wondering at the chaos and action that she'd never quite considered before.

As a teenager, she'd been naïve, full of pretty notions. As the Avatar's comrade, she'd seen horrors and hope, dreams and nightmares. Then, as a young adult, she'd seen the dimmest, darkest part of the world when Zuko died. Everything which was bad, cruel and hidden, she sought out and judged.

Now, she was changed once again. She saw light where there had only been shadows, she heard laughter beneath the raised voices of people arguing. She saw small happiness in the desolation, and everything she knew gave her the strength to walk out of the shadows and back into what was once her only reality.

Katara tightened her hold on her bag and walked out of the alley and onto the street. It was unfamiliar, but commonplace- she was in a market. People walked by her, smiling at her or ignoring her, and she smiled back, straightening her shoulders and letting out a breath. There was nothing to hide from at the moment, just people in their own lives who wouldn't even remember being a part of hers.

It took a half hour, but she finally made it back to a road she recognized. Here, she pulled one of Blue's cloaks out of the bag and drew it over her head as she'd always done, not knowing who could be watching her street. She kept walking, her head low and her stomach bubbling with excitement.

She could start by finding Han's mother, if she was even still alive- Azula wasn't known for keeping her promises. From there, there would be a path of information, maybe of scattered bodies. She'd have to be careful, because she didn't know who was watching, but-

"Hey, lady!" Katara froze, then turned, realizing she was on her street. A shopkeeper ran towards her, sweating and panting, bending over to rest his hands on his knees when he reached her. He was a portly man, someone she'd seen vending loaves of bread and biscuits. "You're not going to want to go down there," he wheezed, "there have been… bad things… just stay away, for your own good."

She stepped closer, ice entering her veins. "What sort of bad things?" she demanded, "I live down there, sir, please- tell me!" He shook his head, looking up at her through puffy eyes.

"There's been yelling… fires… it went quiet yesterday, but no one's gone there. Please, you seem like a nice person. Don't go down there, I'm telling you, it's- hey!" She turned and began to run, not caring when the hood fell off her crown, when she stumbled and skidded. Dread dragged her down and she fought bile in her throat, growling low and fierce. She found the handle of a knife in her belt and felt the adrenaline surge through her. She rounded the corner into the teashop's courtyard.

A brilliant white light greeted her, as well as the bodies of Fire Nation guards. She stopped dead, staring at the corpses in horror. Some were crushed, some were slit all over with cuts, some were stabbed with spikes of ice that had yet to melt- waterbending. The grisliest ones were those who had been burned past recognition, but all were past help.

"Aang," she whispered, and ran up the stairs and through the blasted hole in her wall. More bodies littered the opening, slung over the rubble, eyes wide and unseeing. Everything was cast in an eerie white brightness that she'd seen before, and she ran into the living room, her eyes wide, her throat closed off by panic.

Aang was laid out on the ground, his eyes and arrows glowing, his face tight and full of rage. She moved closer, crying out his name, and saw the blood on his stomach, his hands. "No, no, no," she muttered, kneeling beside him, cradling his head in her hands.

In a flash, his arms came up, grabbed her and threw her down. He rolled on top of her as Blue had done, but this time, she knew she would die if she fought against him. "_Where is she?"_ he screamed at her, his voice inhumanly wrought with the rage of the Avatars before him. "_Where did you take her?"_

She saw his hand rise up, his brow furrow, and she screamed.

"Aang, stop!"

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><p><strong>I'm not expecting any reviews, but I'd be grateful for them. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I'm sorry this took so long. <strong>


	19. Out for Blood

**Sorry for the wait, guys! Hopefully there are still a few of you willing to read and review… enjoy!**

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><p>Chapter Nineteen<br>Out for Blood

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><p>His hand hung in the air, his muscles still tense. She was frozen beneath his wounded body, and as his tattoos stopped glowing, she felt the rage seep from his body. With a quiet little sigh, he slumped to the side, sprawling out beside her as she cried out in alarm and scrambled back up. "Aang," Katara said urgently, "what happened? Who did this?"<p>

The monk's grey eyes slid open, and when he opened his mouth to speak, a little river of blood cascaded from his mouth. "I'm so sorry Katara. They… they took her." His gaze slid to the bodies around them, and he gasped in shock. "What have I done?" he murmured, and she shook her head, tears flying from her eyes.

"Don't look at them Aang, just look at me. We've got to heal you- don't move!" She ordered frantically as he pushed himself up, and he collapsed back onto the ground with a moan of pain. Someone had burned him across his right arm, and as her eyes travelled down his body, she saw something that didn't belong- a glint of silver amidst the blood coating his chest. "You've been stabbed," she recited numbly, knowing that it would be nearly impossible to extract the blade without help.

Aang looked up at her steadily. "I need to tell you… you need to know, before I d-"

"Stop talking," she begged him, pulling water to her hands, waiting for the glow and the knowledge to come along with it. "Don't say that… you're going to live, Aang, you've never given up before and I need you now. I need you." He closed his mouth and his eyes as she brought the healing water to his chest, healing the gashes, siphoning off congealed blood until she could see the blade clearly- only half an inch was still sticking out, but it seemed like it had missed all major organs and arteries.

She knew he would die if she moved him any more than she had, and that he would die unless she healed him. No other healer was near, which meant that as horrifying as it was, she had to do this herself. Katara set up a quick prayer to all spirits who might be listening and then looked down at her best friend, bracing herself.

She bit her lip and concentrated, hoping he'd be numb, too numb to feel what she was doing. Then, she made the gash a tiny bit bigger with a needle of ice, threading it down along the blade until she reached the tip. It was harder than anything she'd ever done in her life. Feeding the water down into his body was invasive and wrong, but there was no other way to do it. Katara felt the water surrounding the blade, and then drew a deep breath.

With that, she began to guide the water upwards, slipping the blade from his flesh. Aang cried out roughly but she didn't stop, afraid to lose the progress. "I'm sorry," she whimpered, then pulled harder, watching the silver grow bigger as she healed the space where the knife had been drawn from. It took all her concentration- one slip, and she could sever an organ or lose the grip on the knife.

An entire inch was out now, and blood burbled from his mouth. "No, no," she cried, frustration peaking in her chest before growing into a mass of despondency. "Aang, I'm sorry," she said again, then closed her eyes and wrenched the blade entirely out.

He jolted, screaming inhumanly, then went limp and unconscious, panting as she worked in the wound, trying to weave the muscle back together, closing off the veins until they were connected again, working her way up to his skin. The water surrounding her hands was tinged pink- she discarded it and drew more, seeking out the cuts and healing them, leaving ice over the burns. She wiped the blood from his chin and breathed a sigh of relief when no more spilled, and finally stopped the whir of energy.

Katara relaxed, watching him sleep peacefully, knowing that she'd done all she could. She relaxed some more, knowing she really should get out of there, find somewhere safe for her and Aang. She fought the exhaustion now, needing to know what had happened, but…

When she awoke to the brilliant light of a sunset, the scent of death filled her nose, and the bitter taste of bile stinging her throat. She sat up and cupper her head, not ready for the wave of dizziness, but it didn't last long. As soon as Katara regained her wits, she looked around. Aang was sleeping peacefully beside her, bloodstained but alive, and they were the only living beings in the room. Everyone else was dead. Katara recoiled from a lifeless corpse next to her, then took a deep breath and turned to Aang.

"Wake up," she whispered, "Aang, wake up!" She poked him gently, then harder. "Aang!" she muttered urgently, and his grey eyes shot open. He started, but she held him down, suddenly afraid that she'd not done her job right. "Be careful, don't move too quickly," she said, but he just waved off the advice, coming to his knees.

"Katara, I'm sorry. Please, forgive me, I'm sorry!" he looked around them, distracted, and Katara felt her heart thrum.

"Tell me what happened," she said quietly, and he hesitated. Finally, she succumbed to her impatience, and slammed her hand down on the floor. "Tell me!" she demanded, and the Airbender sighed, slumping over. Katara had seen that posture before. She had seen the shame on her father's face when he told her that Mother wasn't coming back. She'd heard it in Jet's voice as he died, unable to continue his protection of her and company. Now, the resignation covered Aang's face as he prepared to tell her something she didn't want to hear. She hadn't wanted to recognize it, but one fact sat quietly on the edge of her mind, waiting to be brought forward.

"Where is Lani?"

Aang closed his eyes. "I'm sorry, Katara. We were attacked and they took her." The words hit her like stones, and she looked at the dead bodies around them with new eyes. Had one of these men hurt the one little piece of innocence left in her world? "I took her to see Toph first, because she's so close- she's still on the peninsula. We stayed with her for a couple nights, then were on our way to Kyoshi Island when I noticed we were being followed. Appa could smell the smoke from their machines long before I could. They started firing at us- great big flaming boulders, like when we were kids. I made Appa take Lani somewhere safe, and then fought them off. They were just regular thugs, and they ran when I came after them. I decided to take Lani straight to Iroh in Ba Sing Se, and we traveled nonstop for a good couple of weeks."

He paused here, and Katara stared steadily into his eyes. "Keep talking," she ordered hoarsely, and he nodded.

"We got to Iroh's safely. He had been sick- nothing big, don't worry- and was still weak, so I left. I thought the guys who went after us were after me… I wanted them to be as safe as possible." Aang unfolded his legs from underneath him and then sat cross-legged, resting his palms on his knees. It was a pose he'd often taken when he was upset and trying to calm down. "That night, Roku came to me in a dream. I was scared, thinking he was going to tell me to save the world again, but instead he just said that I hadn't done my job fully yet. You needed me to get Lani to Iroh safely. I hadn't done my job. I woke up and went back to Iroh's shop in Ba Sing Se, but by the time I got there…"

"What is it, Aang? Please!" she begged, and his mouth hardened into a straight line. Fury edged his grimace and narrowed his eyes.

"They took her as soon as they were sure I was gone. Iroh said he put Lani to bed early because she'd been tired, and that when he went in to check on her, she was gone. He'd notified the guardsmen, and they were searching the Third Ring by the time I left. I was going to come straight to you, but Caldera's borders were being patrolled, and the soldiers wouldn't let me into the city. I even tried to force my way through with the whole, "I'm the Avatar!" thing, but it didn't work. When I finally got through, I came here and was ambushed. They were along the entire street… I recognized a couple of them from the attack in the forest, but there were so many of them… some of them ran any, including their leader, I think- I went into the Avatar State, and…" his eyes flickered from hers, to the bodies around them, and for a moment she saw nothing but the scared little boy he'd been when she first knew him.

"Oh, Aang," she said, and stood up. He stood as well, towering over her for a brief second before he groaned and collapsed. She instinctively grabbed him, trying to keep him upright, but his tattoos flashed blue, then went dim and he groaned. "You can't walk yet, you're too weak," she muttered, and pulled water from her pouch and the surrounding area. She saw pink streaks, and froze, watching the blood sink back into the floorboards. She carefully collected clean water, and let Aang fall to the ground, lifting him on top of the water and carrying him out of the ruined apartment on a whirlpool.

She reached a healer's hut around the same time the sky went dark, sweating furiously, and bent the water back into her pouch, hauling his arm over her shoulder and leading him inside. The bitter smell of herbs and bodily excretions made her stomach churn. "Help me, please, someone!" she cried, and immediately a short, stubby woman came through a doorway and rushed over to her. "Lay him down, he's very weak," she instructed, and together, the two women got Aang onto a bed.

Katara stayed with him until he woke up, twisting her sleeve around her fingers until it was worn and frayed. When she heard him stir, she asked him to describe the kidnapper. "Long black dreadlocks, Fire Nation for sure. He had amber eyes and a big nose, and a huge birthmark on his neck, right here," Aang motioned to his chin and pulse point. "It was purple. He's tall and skinny, and he wears this weird armor- it's shiny, but dull at the same time."

"Where were you attacked the first time?" she asked, and he thought about it for a moment.

"We were next to this huge waterfall, right outside of Bashi. Katara… what are you going to do?" he yelled after her as she stood and turned away. She reached in her pockets, found a handful of coins and walked up to the healer.

"Is this enough for you to keep him here for a while, and for you to not mention anything?" The woman peered at her, then cracked a toothless smile.

"Keep your money, missy. I'm not blind, I can see his arrows and I'm honored to care for the Avatar. In silence, of course," she added hastily, laying a weathered hand on Katara's cheek. "You just go do what you need to do. No woman would leave a handsome young man like that unless she really needed to!"

Katara nodded, smiled and went back to Aang, already calculating how long it would take to travel by foot, what she would need to bring. She knew she'd need more knives, and more practice, but she didn't have time to learn strategies. She'd need food and a lot of water, but she could get the water anywhere as soon as she left Caldera. In three seconds flat, the waterbender had a plan.

"Katara, what are you doing?" Aang demanded again, and Katara bent down, placing a swift kiss on his forehead. She remembered her own mother doing that when she and Sokka had been frightened, telling them it was protection against nightmares and demons. But Katara knew better than anyone that a mother's protection was only temporary, however permanent their love was.

"I'm going to find Lani, Aang. Stay here until you feel better, then do me a favor and go tell Sokka you've found me and that I'm safe. Tell him I love him." She left without looking back, without answering his panicked cries for her to stay. Lani's sweet little smile filled her mind, pushing against the sides of her skull until tears squeezed from her eyes. "Watch over her, Yue," she murmured, and the moon seemed to grow brighter as she began to run.

….

The forest was a lot thicker than it used to be, or maybe it just felt that way. Katara swept another cobweb out of her way, ducked beneath a branch, and barely avoided tripping over a tree root. She had her supplies in a pack slung over her shoulder, and her hair was braided over her shoulder and already filled with twigs and pine needles. She'd gone through Bashi last night, and the sun had only been up for about an hour. She had no way of knowing if she was anywhere close to the waterfall except for Aang's direction and a sloppy map drawn by a friendly bartender.

Katara had gone straight from the healer's hut to her apartment, and scavenged what she could. Then, she'd bought a thick black cloak to replace her tattered one and set out. It was easy to press a spot on a guard's neck and watch him crumble, only passing out of the city borders once she was sure that no one saw her leave. Once she was certain she was alone, Katara had smeared dirt all over her skin, wrapped her hair in a scarf and dressed in a Fire Nation robe. She had started walking, hitching rides, asking for the way to Bashi as an anonymous road woman, one of many widows who were struck so alone by the war. She looked no one in the eye and answered no questions truthfully. She thought of Blue mostly, wondering if he was alright. She knew she couldn't go back to him until she'd laid Zuko properly to rest. He deserved as much, after everything he'd done to put her back together again. And, she mused, so did she.

Bashi had been uneventful. She'd been exhausted, and knew she wouldn't be able to sleep thinking about everything. She had went to a motel and paid for a room, then went to the bar next door and had the barkeep pour her something. She'd had two small glasses and then mentioned the waterfall casually, hoping he'd be too caught up in pouring her drinks to concentrate on what she was saying. He had drawn her something on a piece of parchment and crumpled it up in her hand, and she was gone. She had gone back to her room, passed out on the bed, and woken up ten hours later with a raging headache.

Katara was still walking with a headache, trying to remember why she'd been so desperate to sleep, to escape her brain. But then she pictured Blue standing above a random thief in the street, raising his swords in a fury. She pictured Lani, scared and alone, surrounded by enemies. Younger than she or anyone else had been during the war. She bit her lip and pressed on, ignoring the pain in her head and the sway in her step. Branches snagged on her clothing and bit her cheeks, but she closed her eyes, drew water from her pouch and began bending it in a swirl around her, fast enough to push the branches back. She began walking faster, pleased with herself, and then abruptly came to the edge of the woods and stumbled out, guiding her water back into the pouch just in time. She glanced up, just then hearing the roar of crashing water, and saw a tall, broad waterfall. At the base was a cave, and standing at the front of it was a man.

Katara dropped to the ground, and he didn't seem to notice her. She began crawling towards him, her stomach on the ground, moving slowly as her father had taught her to do on thin ice. She drew her hand back when she was close enough and pulled a cord of liquid around her fist. Then, she stood and cracked the water whip, wrapping it around his neck and slamming him forward into a tree. He slumped to the ground, and she pulled up octopus tentacles and ran into the cave.

Men surrounded her, and within seconds, they fell at her feet. Katara stood among them, searching for one in particular. She knelt down, checking one man's collar, and he grabbed her and quick as lightning. She screamed and rolled on top of him, but her momentum carried her over until he straddled her, pinning her down. She threw her hips up and bucked him off, then drew a knife and turned the other direction, running. He grabbed her ankle and she fell, blindly slashing out, hearing a gurgling sound and a thud. Another man got up, an arrow in the notch of his bow, and she threw the knife without thinking, hitting him directly in the chest. He slumped into the wall of the cave and didn't get back up.

Katara stepped back, and tripped over a body. She fell down and froze, bracing herself for an attack, but this man was still passed out, his dreadlocks covering his face and his chest barely rising. She saw blood on his neck and her eyes widened, but then she looked closer. It wasn't blood on his neck. Instead, a deep purple stain marked him as the leader, as the one with the information she needed. Katara stood over him and jerked him up, dragging him further into the cave and tying him up with rope from his own camp. She had nothing to worry about until he awoke.

She scanned herself for injuries, and noticed that her head no longer hurt. Her entire body felt jerky, the adrenaline keeping her alert. It paid off- she was able to see the man wake up, even though he tried to hide it by immediately closing his eyes again. He strained tenderly against his bonds, and she laughed harshly.

"Don't you think we're a little old to be playing games?" she taunted him, and he sighed, raising his head and staring at her hatefully. "You give me the information I want, or you die. It's really very simple." She stepped closer to him, letting a lantern in the corner illuminate her face. He spat at her feet.

"Water tribe whore. I would rather die than tell you anything! You are right. We are too old to be playing games… but I know someone who is just the right age for games. She loves them." Katara let out a strangled yell and punched him across the face, but he just spat again and laughed. "Water witch. Kill me, then. I am not afraid of death."

Katara felt a strange heat in her limbs, and raised her arms slowly. Her brain screamed at her to stop, but he'd pushed her past her limits. "Not afraid of death?" she asked quietly, and he smirked. "Then I guess I'll have to find out what you _are_ afraid of, won't I?" His face fell into a stony mask, but she was beyond that. After learning to decipher Blue's emotions behind his steely leer, this vermin's expressions were clear as water.

"I think you're afraid of pain. You cause others so much of it, though… maybe you should get a taste of your own medicine." Her fingers tensed in that awfully familiar way, and the man before her froze. She remembered the moon, just two days past full. She felt forbidden strength flow through her arms, and slowly, ever so slowly, his left hand came up, fingers spread wide, and she made him stay like that.

Katara came closer, imagining Lani, imagining what this filth could have done to her. "Where is my daughter?" she asked, and the man shook his head. "You see, bastard," she said, bending down to cut him free of his bonds, "I control your body right now. I can make you do anything you can think of. Things you normally wouldn't be able to do." She spun her wrist and concentrated, sweat standing out on her brow, and his finger went into his wide open mouth. She closed her hand into a loose fist, and his jaw began to close.

"You know, it takes the same amount of force to bite through a carrot as it does to bite through your finger. Normally, your brain wouldn't allow you to do it- but right now, I'm controlling you." His eyes widened in fear, and anger surged through her gut. "Tell me where my daughter is." He moaned, no words, and she clenched her hand harder, watching his teeth press into his knuckle. "Tell me." Now he was squealing, a high, keening pitch. "Tell me!" she shouted, and he broke out into muffled sobs, not able to speak around the digit in his mouth. She bent his arm towards her, gave him back his mouth, and he screamed.

"I'll tell you! Please! Please, I'll tell you!" he sobbed, and she threw him out of her control, back onto the ground, limp and broken. Shame slit through her resolve, but she merely stood above him with her arms crossed, praying she'd be able to forget this, knowing she never would.

"Then talk."

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><p><strong>Hey guys, thanks for reading. Sorry for any mistakes, and also for the wait. Please review!<strong>


	20. For the Child

Well hello hello, and sorry this took so long! Basically, I had a mid-midlife crisis, and had to make some painful decisions. Now, I am finally in a place where I can write again, and find enjoyment in things I used to love. Thank you to everyone who has waited, and please know that I am determined to finish this story. Thanks thanks thanks. And sorry sorry sorry. Please review!

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><p><strong>Chapter 20<strong>

**For the Child**

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><p>Waterbending was never meant to hurt, to torture. She was not built to break men, and her body betrayed her after she was done. The man had cried, begged her to stop, shivered like an infant animal without its parent, but she'd gotten the information. It did not sink into her brain, it rolled like a marble along her tongue and she clung to it like a lifeline.<p>

Two miles out of North Chung-Ling, formerly known as the Fire Fountain City, there was an abandoned mine. Inside the mine were two tunnels. One of them was caved in, but the other went down deep into the earth. That was where Lani was, with the rest of his men- from what he knew, there were about fifteen of them.

He was down by two fingers when he finally told her who hired him.

"_Please!" he screamed. She gagged and brought another finger to his mouth. "No! NO!"_

"_Tell me now! Who hired you? Who hired you to take my daughter?" Her mouth tasted like pennies. She was dizzy. His mouth was bloody, and he swerved. They were connected, too far in, and she couldn't stop. This was for Zuko, for Lani, for her. This was for Blue, for the Fire Nation. _

"_It was a man-" he burbled, and her stomach dropped, "a nobleman. He's one of the feudal lords outside Caldera- Lord Tenji. A v-very close friend of Fire Lord Azula! This time of year, he lives in the upper ring of Caldera and s-sought me and my gang out to take the girl! He said to kill you when you came after us. Please, that's all I know!"_

_Desperation overcame them both. He screamed, and she felt as if her throat were on fire. No more. She released the man, slammed his head into the ground, and left._

Katara stood and took deep breaths until the nausea passed. She knew she'd never forget the monstrous things she'd done to him, and thought the guilt was enormous; she couldn't give in to it. Lani was waiting. Her daughter was waiting for her, surrounded by corrupted men, innocent and scared. All her fault, for not taking her to Iroh herself. The waterbender pulled fresh moisture from the waterfall and filled her pouches, made sure the knives were clean, and then left the clearing, moving quickly and ignoring the paranoia which whispered after her, _they're coming for you, Katara. You can't escape._

She walked until the edge of the forest, walked until her legs ached, walked until she collapsed and dry-heaved, with nothing left to throw up. She drank from her bending supply and waited, then got up, made it three steps and stumbled again. The world swam before Katara's eyes, and she sighed in annoyance. Then, she sat down and closed her eyes, cursing under her breath. She didn't have time for this.

"Excuse me, miss?" She looked up and saw a man and a woman walking towards her, their faces concerned. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," she answered hoarsely, trying to smile, trying to act normal. "Just dizzy." The man nodded, and the woman looked around nervously. They were both dressed in simple clothes, with brown hair and eyes. They were clearly Fire Nation, and Katara felt a twinge of unease hit her when the man bent down, leveling with her.

"You shouldn't stay here very long. There have been some rumors about what happens in the forest, and a young woman like you should steer clear of such a place." Katara smiled hollowly- these people wouldn't be bothered by rumors for very much longer. "Maybe you could come home with us, get a good meal in your stomach. You look like you've been traveling a while."

Katara nodded gratefully and stood, wobbling only slightly as she followed the couple. The man turned and smiled at her. "My name is Shen, and this is my wife Karashi. We were walking into town, but there's nothing there that can't wait."

She nodded, thinking fast. It was too late to try and disguise her heritage, and something told her these people wouldn't hold it against her. "I'm Yue," she lied, "from the Northern Water Tribe. I came with a group of pilgrims to the Fire Nation, but I decided to go on my own and experience the people and culture personally. Thank you for your hospitality, and your concern."

"It's nothing, really. We have a farm about a mile from here and often come across people such as you. Where are you headed next?" he asked, and Katara inhaled thinly, a bubble of anticipation swelling up and bursting with something akin to dread.

"I'm going to North Chung-Ling, to visit family." The woman smiled, moving a delicate strand of brown hair out of her eyes. Katara felt something jerk inside her stomach as she realized how much the woman reminded her of her mother. Only hazy memories still remained of Kya, but the strangest recollections cropped up at random, throwing her off balance.

"It is very rare for us to see a member of the Water Tribe here in our part of the nation. I'm very glad that our people are beginning to come together like this. It makes everyone feel safer and happier," the woman commented with a smile. Katara nodded and tried to engage herself in the conversation.

"You're right to feel that way. Our waterbenders aren't the only ones of us who are skilled, though they are usually the most revered. Our Water Tribe warriors are the most loyal, protective and skilled hunters and sailors I've ever known. With us as your ally, you have our word that we will protect you as you do us." Shen harrumphed in an agreeable sort of way, and Karashi smiled wider.

"You seem very proud of them," she commented, and then inclined her head. Katara looked over and saw a small house, smoke coming out of the chimney and various animals milling around the back of it. "We're home! We have a son, Kuza, who looks to be around your age. Unless he's out hunting, he'll be at dinner." Katara let herself be led inside by the older woman, and immediately felt soothed by the warmth of the fire and the flickering, bright light it cast in the room. A dark wood table took up a corner near the fireplace, where a young man sat, cleaning his knives. For a moment, he looked so much like Blue that Katara's breath hitched. Then, he turned around, and she relaxed at the surprised expression, the twist of a smile as he stood up and introduced himself.

Katara sat quietly and listened to the family interact. Shen teased his son about a village girl, Karashi pestered them both about washing their hands as she began cooking. It had been so long since she'd been in such a safe, merry group of people that it was unnerving. She had known for a long time that she'd given up the part of her that could exist so simply- she'd never have a life like this again, where the biggest problems were taxes and a marriage proposal.

"So Yue, if you don't mind me asking, how did you survive the attacks on your nation?" Shen asked brusquely, and instantly her past was on the tip of her tongue, without her being able to tell the truth-Katara's mind went blank. She opened her mouth, closed it, and blushed, trying to think frantically beyond everything that made her legendary, remembering life from before Aang. How would she have survived if she had been just another girl caught amongst war?

"Well…" she started off, and Karashi tutted, laying a weathered hand on top of Katara's clasped hands.

"Don't mind this nosey old man, dear," she said primly, "you don't have to talk about anything you don't want to." Katara let herself relax into the adrenaline rush, and the thoughts poured back into her head like smoke from a low-burning fire. There was a brief silence, a still moment that awakened something long forgotten inside her. She was Katara of the Southern Water Tribe. Her heritage was shared through stories and songs, celebrated with whispers and laughs and intent ears.

"No," she said softly, "it's alright. For the majority of the time, the people of the Northern Water Tribe were content to remain inside the walls of the city, protected and on familiar ground. It is the land of our ancestors, the settings for our histories… we couldn't leave." She took a deep breath, thinking back to who she had been, trying to ignore what she had done. Zuko's face floated before her eyes, and

She belonged to a darker side of the world now. They'd had a word for it at the South Pole, but it was so rarely used that she couldn't remember exactly what it was. The word roughly translated to "the snow right above the sand", because on top, it looked crystal clear and pristine, but when flipped over, it was dirty and ruined. It had only been used to describe the most hopeless of situations. She wished she had asked Kana what the word was.

"Dinner's ready!" Karashi called, and Katara smiled, sitting down at the table and serving herself. Bread went onto a small plate, a thick stew was ladled into a bowl, and she immediately began eating. Shen watched her with satisfaction.

"Everything tastes delicious," Katara commented, and the woman nodded in thanks. The rest of the meal continued quietly, until finally she set her spoon down and sat back. Kuza looked at her expectantly, and she plastered a serene smile on her face, a thrill racing down her back.

"Thank you for the meal, but I'd better get going. It's a long way to North Chung-Ling." She stood, and Shen stood as well, bowing slightly. She bowed much further, as was polite.

"Good luck on your journey, Yue. Here," he said, "take some food for the road." He shoved four pieces of bread into her hands, ignoring her protests. "You wouldn't want to lose your strength, now." She thanked him, and said goodbye awkwardly, dipping her head down and grinning at Kuza before shutting the door behind herself. She got into her pack, pulled out her heavy cloak and slung it over her shoulders. She reached into her robe and pulled out her mother's pendant, staring at it thoughtfully. The pattern shimmered in the moonlight, pulling in the light and pushing warmth into Katara's fingers.

Kya would have never wanted Katara to do this… but would _she_ have done it to save Katara? The waterbender swallowed convulsively in an effort to stop the old emotion from welling up in her throat. The question wasn't necessary; she'd lived with the evidence her entire life. No matter what, a mother would do whatever it took to protect her baby. Maybe, just maybe, Kya would understand.

The next few days followed behind her like a pack of wolves, snapping at her heels as she raced away. It was a long way to the Fire Fountain City where she and Toph had once tried to pull off a disastrous scheme, and she soon became frustrated with walking. It was on the third day that she finally let herself into a stable, took a mount and left a note saying she'd pay it off somehow when she returned. From then on, she rode clumsily, only stopping when the animal grew tired.

By the fifth day, she was passing through the town square, one that looked curiously empty since the huge statue of Ozai had been brought down. Everyone walked with their heads turned down, as if they still feared that the fire which came from his mouth and fists would erupt from the ground and devour them if they acknowledged the absence. They lived in a town of ghosts- specters who were once Fire Nation nationalists, who now could only hide their sneer when they caught a glimpse of her dark skin and blue eyes. She made good time, a prickle on the back of her neck telling her not to tarry long. These people wouldn't spit on her if she was on fire, and with so many hostile benders around, it was a legitimate possibility.

She was on the outskirts of town by nightfall, and this is where she left her ride. She ditched her pack behind a bush, only bringing out the necessities. She took off the heavy cloak and her mother's necklace, storing them safely. Then, she pushed knives into her belt, her boots, and one strapped to her left arm. She tore the sleeves off her robe, tearing the fabric into strips and winding them around her hands. Her pouches were full of water, and every cell in her body screamed for action.

Katara stood strongly and consulted the map of the city she'd picked up. The mine was on the east side of the town, and she was already about a mile out. She looked up, searching the stars for a heading, and then started walking. Her steps skimmed the ground, her hair blew out behind her, and her chest moved the rest of her body forward, abandoning fear and hesitation, leaving behind nothing but determination.

A shape rose out of the darkness ahead, too straight and linear to be natural. Katara ducked down behind a row of bushes, waiting for her eyes to adjust further. There was no one at the mouth of the mine, but that didn't mean no one was waiting just behind the shadows. She took a breath in to calm her heart rate, and rose, striding forward, listening hard. The night was completely devoid of wind or sound, and she fell forward into a crouch, beginning to run as she drew water from the pouch into a swirl before her.

She skidded into the entrance of the mine and ducked further, taking smaller steps. She was completely blind, and kept one hand on the wall. The right tunnel was caved in. She needed to take the left. As soon as the wall dropped away from her touch, she switched control of the bending to her right hand and began searching for the left wall with her fingertips.

The second she felt cool stone beneath her hand was the same second she heard the quiet whir of steel in motion. Katara dropped to the ground and felt air pass her cheek, and heard a thunk behind her as a blade was imbedded in the wall. Suddenly, light erupted and she rolled, slashing towards the fire with water, pushing it back, finding the source. She wrapped a coil of liquid around a hot body and pulled, throwing him forward towards her.

"Get her!" she heard, and she hauled a sheet of ice up as firebenders lunged towards her. She felt a battle cry come from her chest and through her throat, and pushed the ice forward, trapping them inside and slamming them against the wall until their heads lolled forward. She drew the water back and raced down the tunnel, knowing more would come, knowing she was in way over her head.

She saw light and skidded to a halt, her heart thudding violently, and realized she was at the entrance to a cavernous room lit with torches. She heard men yelling and stepped forward into a raging fight. Katara swung out with water, knocking men down, freezing them, but they kept getting up- she'd forgotten that most firebenders could expel heat from everywhere in their bodies. She didn't duck fast enough, and fire singed her arm.

She heard the men shout in surprise as she wrapped water into a disk below her feet and shot her body up into the air, suspended above them. With a huge sweeping motion, she pulled fog over the benders, muggy and confusing. There was a brief moment of horrified silence, in which Katara's heart beat madly. Then, they started yelling, and she heard the clash of knives as they began to attack each other by mistake. A spear erupted from the chaos and pierced the ice beneath her feet, and Katara slipped from her precarious position, falling back to the ground and immediately encasing her body in ice for protection.

It wasn't enough. She heard it crack with a deafening bang, and heat slammed into her. She flew backwards, felt something strike the back of her head, and suddenly she was fighting darkness as well as fire. She struggled to her feet, unsheathing a few knives, haphazardly slicing at her attackers. Everywhere, there was heat, fire, noise, pain.

For the first time, Katara realized that she just might not win this battle. Her body was betraying her- she could feel blood dripping from her hair to her neck, and every time she blinked, her eyes got harder to open. "Lani, Lani, Lani," she mouthed breathlessly, aiming at the closest man and slicing a gash in his neck. He fell. She retreated, spun, ducked, pounced on the man who'd lunged at her and plunged the knife into his arm, pinning him to the ground and going through a major artery, as Blue had taught her. She'd question him later.

There were seven left. They all came at her, blasting huge fireballs at her until she was forced up against a wall, bloody and exhausted. She took three out with a wave, buying time to parry a whip of flame with a quick shot of ice to the face. She felt a searing pain in her leg and cried out, collapsing as she looked down and saw blood pouring from a cut below her knee. The movement jarred her entire body, her poor, tired self. And then, everything was far away- even Lani. She couldn't feel anything.

How easy would it be to just close her eyes? There would be more pain, undoubtedly, but after that, would it be peaceful? No more aching muscles, aching heart, old wounds acting up. There would just be darkness, and nothing, and maybe-

Light, white and silent and filling, erupted, and the force of the blast knocked her over, winded but numb. Smoke billowed from the epicenter of the flash bomb, and someone stepped from inside the chaos. Two men sank down in front of her, eyes wide and unseeing. She didn't hear them fall, but the knives in their throats and chests were evidence enough. One man was crawling away- then suddenly, he wasn't, and blood pooled around him. She watched him curiously for a moment, then looked up into the hazy air.

Blue's mask seemed to be laughing at her. Katara let her eyes rove over the smirking features as he held out his hand and pulled her up. She swayed on her feet, but the pain cut through her nausea and within seconds, she was ashamed of her earlier moment of weakness. Blue was already bending over to pull a knife from the man's back, but Katara's heart dropped as she frantically realized something was missing.

"Wait- there were four left, Blue, one of them's still- _no!" _she screamed, lunging forward as the last man dragged Lani from behind a rock, fingers flaming and held inches away from her jugular. He was bleeding from both ears, his arm was mangled and his eyes were crazed.

He opened his mouth in a leer, and Blue moved like a whip, flicking the knife into his forehead. His hands fell away from Lani, he fell backwards, and the little girl screamed, frozen. Blue darted forward before Katara could even move, kneeling in front of her. She was taking quick little breaths, her eyes brimming with tears. Katara stepped towards her. "Honey, it's okay. You're safe now."

Lani nodded, then reached forward and laid a tender hand on Blue's hard, unfeeling cheek. His whole body tensed, and when she leaned forward, touching her forehead to the cool mask and whispering, "thank you, thank you, thank you," his arms came up. He scooped the child up and cradled her against his chest as she began to cry from pain and exhaustion and simply being a scared little girl. He turned his head towards Katara, and she bit her lip to keep the hope inside her heart, knowing this picture could never work out for any of them. No father could kiss his daughter goodnight through a metal surface. No child could fully trust someone she's never seen, and Katara knew she could never choose between them.

Still, the three of them left the cave together, and she was too tired to care about anything but having Lani safe beside her when she went to bed that night. She perused the girl's face for signs of nightmares as Blue watched the two of them silently, warding off ghosts and anything else that might haunt the darkness beyond the firelight.

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><p>Review! Thanks for reading :)<p>

-Aleina


	21. Healed and Hurt

**Here again with many thanks for all the reviews :) I'm glad that some of you risked familial embarrassment and mental institutionalization because you loved my story so much, and I hope that no one's been committed yet (you know who you are!) Hope you like this chapter :) **

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><p>Chapter Twenty-One<p>

Healed and Hurt

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><p>By the time she woke up the next morning, Katara's body had already become stiff and unresponsive. Opening her eyes and groaning at the splitting headache that accompanied the light, she sat up and started pulling her boots on. The shelter she and Blue had thrown together was meager, but she and Lani had been dry and warm underneath it. She stood up, feeling her joints pop and release, and she found that her shoulder was burned so bad that fragments of her robe were seared into the wound. The slice on her leg stung, but she knew it was already on the mend and that she wouldn't have to spend any extra energy on it.<p>

The smell of roasting meat had her turning towards the campfire where Lani sat with Blue. The man was flipping a knife between his fingers, making the dusky metal shimmer in the sunlight. The child was copying him with a small twig, her face scrunched up in concentration. They looked for all the world like a father and daughter, especially when she accidentally flicked the stick into his forehead, and his shoulders shook with silent laughter as he ruffled her hair. To think that just a few hours ago, they'd escaped from a bloodbath and he was already making her giggle like a normal little girl- it made her head spin.

Literally- her vision blurred, and the warrior sighed, going to sit on a log and stare into the flames. Two roasted birds sat on a rock, and Lani proudly showed her the new slingshot Blue had whittled for her that she'd used to take them down. Katara ate slowly, hyperaware of the small warm body next to her and the weight of the debt she owed Blue. She didn't know why he'd followed her, or why he didn't tell her, but she knew Lani wouldn't be sitting her- _she wouldn't be sitting here-_ without him.

When she remembered the last thing she said to him in the tunnels, her final proclamation of love, she blushed and swallowed her bite of food, losing her appetite for the rest of the bird. She handed it to Lani, who began to pick the meat off the bones silently, nestled against her side. "We're going to have to get back to Caldera, soon. I left Aang there with a healer, but I don't think he'll have healed enough to go to Sokka like I asked him to," she said.

"Is he okay?" Lani asked in a small voice, and Katara nodded tightly as she wondered what they would go home to. Were there still bodies in her apartment? What would the authorities do about it, and most importantly, what was she going to do about it? Lord Tenji. The name sent hatred snaking through her lungs like hot smoke, and she let her breath out between clenched teeth.

"Aang is fine. Honey, did they hurt you? Are you okay?" Lani shrugged, pushing her hair back from her face.

"I'm okay. They made me sleep most of the time with this nasty medicine that burned my throat. They said a lot of scary things about what they were going to do, but I also heard them fighting. They were scared because they knew you'd get them," she said matter-of-factly. "They knew you'd find me and- and- that you would hurt them… if they hurt me." She trailed off, and Katara knew she'd never forget what she'd seen in the cave. Dead bodies could still hurt you if you let them.

"But I bet they never expected Blue, did they?" Lani asked with a smile, and Katara glanced over at the man sitting and staring into the flames. "He writes me notes 'cause he can't talk, and he took me to a stream before you woke up so I could wash. He looked away and everything, don't worry," she added at Katara's raised eyebrows, then plowed on, "and then he gave me my slingshot and showed me how to use it. He didn't even laugh at me when I hit myself in the ankle, and even though I didn't cry he still kissed it better."

Katara gave a startled bark of laughter. "How did he do that?" she asked, and Lani giggled.

"I told him that was what you usually did when I got hurt, and he bumped his mask against my ankle and then went like this." Lani bent over and tapped Katara's shin with her forehead, then looked up at her, and with her face in a cute imitation of Blue's leer, she tilted her head to the side and turned her thumb up, as if she was asking if she'd done a good job. Katara laughed at her perfect representation of his solid, silent movements, and scooped her up, ignoring the ache in her muscles. Lani palmed the side of her neck, then whispered in her ear.

"I think Blue likes you, 'cause when he thought we were both sleeping, even though I was really awake because I was kind of cold and hungry, but anyways- I squinted so he couldn't see my eyes were open, and he was sitting next to you looking down at you for a long time. Then he put his forehead on your forehead and held your head there. One of the ladies at the orphanage did that to a boy who got really sick, except she was crying and he died a couple days later." Lani got quiet for a moment, then looked up into her eyes. "So I think he likes you, and I think you like him back."

Katara smiled gently, then tickled Lani's sides until her laughter pealed over the entire campsite. "I think you're nosy, and I think you think too much!" Lani rolled away and went to hide behind Blue, and Katara realized that noise carried further than she'd thought. Had he heard Lani's whisper? She wasn't sure. He was gazing in her direction, but when Lani tapped his shoulder, he immediately turned away. She swallowed and stood up, wincing in pain.

"Where's the stream? I have to go heal myself- and if you need me to heal anything, you should come too." Blue stood up, so much taller than her that she had to tilt her head back to look up into his masked face. He untucked the hem of his shirt and lifted it up to reveal a burn right along the narrow slope of his hip. He didn't lift his shirt very far, but Lani was already fixated on the scars on his lower back, her mouth open. She looked over at Katara, then blushed and set her eyes on the ground.

"I can fix that," she offered, and Blue nodded, grabbing a scroll of paper and his charcoal before walking into the forest. Katara followed after him, telling Lani to stay close to the fire and to run if she saw anyone. Feeling only slightly paranoid, she pushed aside a branch and caught a glimpse of blue through the trees that quickly disappeared. She went that direction and caught up with him just as they came to the bank of the stream. It was perfect for bending, with a steady flow and a small pool a couple hundred feet down the river.

Already, Blue was walking towards that pool and looking back over his shoulder to make sure she was following. She watched his back, the ripple of muscles under his shoulder blades, the fluid movement of his swinging arms, his impeccable balance. Then, her eyes slid lower, and she briefly admired his ass before she caught herself. Katara felt heat rise in her cheeks, and shut her eyes for a moment, firmly telling herself to stop. _You will not look at his butt. You will not lose control of yourself. You will go back to Lani and take her to Caldera, and you will figure it out from-_

"Oof." She ran into something hard and her eyes shot open to stare at Blue's strong chest. She glanced up, and his head was bent, looking down at her. Somehow, the mask seemed different- softer, less fearsome. Maybe it was just the way he was standing, his fingers coming up to trace her face, his other arm wrapping around her waist, pulling her, tucking her into his hold as if she belonged there.

_Maybe I do,_ she thought idly, and rested her head on his shoulder, staying away from the cold border of the mask and letting herself be cradled just as she'd held Lani earlier. He was so warm, so solid against her body. She felt every resolve to continue on with her mission weaken, and started to pull away. The movement triggered something in her mind, and Katara stopped moving, remembering back through the years.

She'd been eleven when her father went on a scouting tour with twenty men in the South Pole, and had just had her twelfth birthday when he came back with only fourteen. The whole village had seen the boats come in, and she'd waited anxiously with Sokka to see their father. The other men had run to their families, swinging their children up in their arms, kissing their wives, crying without any shame because a warrior's homecoming was beautiful to them.

But there were six families who had waited in vain. She remembered looking up at the elderly woman standing with Gran Gran who had pressed her shaking fingers to her lips and pulled a young girl into her grasp. The girl had struggled, crying for her father and trying to see into the hull of the boat, before finally she'd collapsed and watched the other families reunite with hollow eyes. Katara had looked up at Sokka, who'd been so stiff and silent all day that he could've been ice.

"Don't worry. He'll come out," he'd said forcefully, and Katara had just looked at the small bunch of people standing lonely and sad, at the children who'd missed their fathers so much, and would continue to miss them for the rest of their lives. When Hakoda had finally emerged from the boat, she had watched Sokka run to him and waited, frozen, for him to approach. Her father had looked deep into her eyes and told her she looked older than he thought possible, and had scooped her into a crushing hug.

For one moment, she'd let him hold her. Then, she'd thought of all the children who wouldn't ever be held by their fathers again, and shame had filled her so completely that there hadn't been room for anything else. She'd pushed away from Hakoda, firmly convinced she didn't deserve to feel so relieved and so happy that it wasn't her own dad in one of the boxes they'd started unloading from the boats. What made her different, luckier than the boy who had walked beside a wooden coffin, his nose running and his head turned down? She'd been sick with the guilt, but had never told anyone why.

Now, she wondered if she didn't deserve that happiness, that content feeling of being safe and sound. She'd lost, too- lost her mother, her love, most likely parts of her future that she'd never be able to attain. What was so wrong about being comforted?

Katara sighed and leaned back into Blue's embrace, and they stayed like that for a long moment. When he pulled back, he wiped a tear from her cheek that she hadn't noticed, and then turned and walked into the shallow water. He walked until he was up to his thighs, then untucked his shirt again and let the black fabric billow away from his body in the wind. She waded in next to him, carefully rolling up his shirt and tucking it in place. She knew instinctively that he was wary about how much skin she saw, and avoided his chest and back, concentrating solely on the burn across his hip.

She pulled a bubble of water from the stream and took a breath, unleashing the best emotions inside her, turning them into something that soothes and heals. The energy made the water glow, and she lightly traced the perimeter of the jagged burn, working her way into the center. She had to pass over it a few times to encourage the new skin to set and knit together, but when she was finished, she was smiling.

"You heal fast, don't you? This might scar, but not badly. I've worked with a lot of burns, and even though this one was bad, it healed pretty evenly. See?" she said, and swept her finger across the shiny pink skin. He twitched, but didn't move away, and her breath caught as she skimmed along the delicate edge of his hipbone and the soft skin which covered it. Blue didn't move. She let her fingers slide up, beneath the hem of his shirt, and she noted the hardness of his muscles, the strange, vulnerable hollows between his ribs. She moved behind him, the water swirling around her robe, lifting it and settling it back down over her baggy pants, and still, Blue was motionless.

"Is this alright?" she asked quietly, half hoping he wouldn't hear her over the burble of the stream. Instead, he nodded, sighing, his muscles relaxing beneath her touch. She explored the scars on his back, tracing the crisscrossed pattern, feeling the ridges pull at her dragging touch, hesitant to pull his shirt up but instead moving her hands beneath the fabric. She stepped closer, pushing aside the water with a sweep of her hand, swirling it around them. Katara concentrated, and immediately the flow thinned and spiraled around them.

She knew Blue was watching, and she couldn't help thinking that he'd never seen this form before- he was sure to be paying attention. And it felt good to make these movements again, creating something so beautiful, so unfit for her lonesome life, that she hadn't dared to think about since the day she found out Zuko was dead. She wove the strands of water together around them, brushing his skin with the backs of her hands as she swept her arms in circles. Then, with one final movement, the strands froze, the water they were standing in stilled, and Katara let her arms fall. Blue looked up at the crystalline web, and from her position facing his back, Katara found a sliver of pale ivory skin between the edge of the mask and his collarbone.

She wrapped her arms around him, hands resting on his ribcage, and rose up on her tiptoes to draw her nose across the flesh. Blue froze, and in that instant she kissed his neck softly, sweetly. She was so focused on the smooth expanse of skin beneath her lips that she almost missed it.

Blue's head fell back a fraction of an inch more, his shoulders relaxed, and a small, content moan rumbled at the back of his throat, so quiet, but so loud in the silence that followed. She was pressed against his back, she felt him tense, and then he lunged away from her, shattering their enclosure, ripped from her arms by his flight. A cry wrenched from her lips, and she stumbled after him, her eyes zeroed in on his erratic flight. He fell to his knees at the base of a tree, and she ran to him, a million questions on her tongue, and waves of memories barraging her.

He sensed her coming, and his hands went up, halting her, the movement so fierce that he might as well have screamed at her to stop. Then, with deliberate steps backwards and his chest heaving, Blue vanished into the trees and was gone. She knew better than to follow, doubted that she could anyway. He was much faster than her, she was still injured, and her legs felt too weak to even take a step.

Katara sank numbly to her knees and sat heavily, staring at the place he'd disappeared. "You're a liar, Blue," she whispered hoarsely, wishing that the wind could carry her voice to him. The trees waved in the breeze, quiet and harsh in the background of her thoughts.

When she stood, her legs were asleep and tingled painfully. She waded back into the water, healed what she could as she regained feeling, and left the pool, trekking quickly back to Lani and the campsite.

Lani looked up at her and smiled. "Are you and Blue all better now?" she asked, and Katara felt a knot rise in her throat as she considered the double entendre.

"Yeah," she said, deciding to focus on her biggest priority, "but Blue had to go do something, and I'm not sure when he'll be back." Lani frowned, her eyebrows furrowed, and Katara knew that the child wasn't oblivious to the way her voice broke over his name. She tried to press the knot down, swallow the hurt, but there was something so overwhelming about this last disappointment that for several moments, the waterbender couldn't speak. She fought for control, silent and unmoving. Every emotion was countered by logic, but neither won.

Lani slipped her small, warm hand into her own, and scooted closer to her. "Then we'll wait for him to come back," she concluded, but the end of the sentence went up, as if it was a question. Katara nodded tightly, squeezing the child's hand.

"We'll wait."

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><p><strong>Review! <strong>


	22. Home Again

**Hello again! Here you go, please review if you enjoyed it, and review if you didn't! I would like more constructive criticism. I feel that my writing has gotten a little rusty, and if there's anything you can suggest, I'd gladly hear it. Thanks!**

**PS- I was listening to "Breath of Life" and "Blinding" by Florence + the Machine, and "Boats and Birds" by Gregory and the Hawk when I was writing this, so if you want to have some background music, listen to them and see if it enhances the experience :P**

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><p>Chapter 22<br>Home Again

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><p>Blue never came back.<p>

Katara stalled for another day, watching as Lani searched the woods for a sign of him, as she asked whether or not he could've been hurt or lost. She couldn't bring herself to tell the girl to stop, and finally Lani sat and stared into the fire, holding her new slingshot in her clenched fist. Darkness fell, and her limbs ached with restlessness. She hadn't dared to leave the campsite all day, making excuses to send Lani for firewood or water, so by the time the setting sun was shining through the wispy clouds above the horizon, turning them gold and pink and orange, she was jumpy and unnerved.

"Do you want to practice bending?" she asked Lani, and the girl shook her head, gazing into the flames. Katara hesitated, then crouched next to her. "Honey, are you okay?" she asked, and to her surprise, two fat tears rolled off Lani's cheeks and hit the ground.

"Why did you make him leave?" she choked out, and Katara's mouth fell open. Lani turned to her, childish rage filling her features. "He saved us and- and he was nice to us, and now he's gone. What did you do to make him leave?" she demanded. _I trusted him_, Katara wanted to blurt out, but she bit it back, trying to see it from Lani's point of view.

"I didn't do anything," she answered lamely, and both girls heard the lie in her voice. Katara hastened to explain. "He had to figure some things out, and we… we had a discussion, sort of, that made him upset and he left. But we were talking, as adults, Lani- not fighting, it's no one's fault." Lani glowered up at her, still crying silently, and frustration had her running her hands through her hair, yanking at it. "You're too young to understand."

"No I'm not! I know you made him leave, because he wasn't mad at me at all, and then he left with you and never came back! He left because you made him mad. Now he's not going to want to- come see me a-anymore," she sobbed, then pushed away from Katara's reaching arms and went into the shelter, not looking back. Katara felt angry, and hurt, and ashamed. She hadn't meant for her bad decisions to affect Lani- she never wanted her to be upset over things she couldn't control. She knew how that felt, because she lived every hellish day of it. It was a thankless journey, and all of a suddenly, her own path seemed endlessly tiring, completely futile.

Her emotions peaked, and Katara felt a familiar power surge through her body as the sun slipped down over the horizon line. It was night, early, but still dark enough to make out the graceful curves and points of the crescent moon. Katara checked to be sure Lani was lying down, trying not to notice the shaking, breathless sobs she was emitting, and then left for the river. She avoided the pool of water where she'd healed Blue, and instead focused on a line of younger saplings on the other bank of the stream.

Then, she crouched and raised her arms parallel to the ground, before pushing her body back upright and hauling two swirling, iridescent pools of water up with her. She gazed at them for a moment, shimmering before her like friendly spirits to do her bidding, then began twisting them around her body, wrapping them around each other, connecting them into an endless circle of woven water. Lani's face filled her mind, and she lost concentration and momentum. It wasn't fair to be blamed for making him leave, but at the same time, she knew it was partly her fault. She focused again on the trees, felt the destruction inside her and needed it _out._

She slammed her palms forward, and two jets of water broke off and whirled into two trees, blasting the trunks to bits. There was a deafening crash, then silence broken only by splinters falling into the water. Katara caught her breath, gazing at the chaos, feeling the rage thrumming inside, then bent her torso backwards, whirling her arms around again and again, building it back up, pulling more water. She took out two more trees, slashing them to bits, upending more with huge water whips, crashing them together as she yelled from exertion. Her body twisted, her hands contorted into claws and needles thudded one after the other into the oak tree across from her. She blasted it again and again, hearing the old wood creak, hearing the spirits of the forest rise up in discomfort. The wind wrapped around her, but she broke free, stepping forward into the water, surging up in a wave that overtook the bank, slamming into the tree and with one last blow.

The world was split by a crack, and the noise sent her into retreat, back onto the ground as it trembled beneath her. She couldn't tear her eyes from the sight of that battered old oak as it creaked and swayed too far, falling now, faster, faster-

The tree hit the ground with a crash, and Katara fell to her knees, staring at the fallen masterpiece. The roots were upended and naked, the cold night air whistling harshly through them. The trunk was bleeding sap, glistening from the ice and water she'd rained down upon it, and old scars were thrown into relief by the moonlight. Already, shredded leaves whipped past her on the breeze, scratching against her face and arms, leaving a cool, tingling sensation behind that felt like tears on her skin. The twisted, gnarled form fell silent, the wood no longer crying out, the branches dead.

Dead. Katara felt a cry wring itself from her throat, and clamped a hand down on her chest as it swelled with agony. Why? Why didn't she stop, or heal, or help? She destroyed something so ancient that it had seen a thousand years, lived through a hundred lives of people who would never know as much as it did. "Oh, no," she gasped out, "no, no, no. I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry."

She said it so many times that the words blended together, that they lost all meaning and sounded empty and hollow. She apologized to the trees, to the water for making it unclean, to herself for being vindictive. She wanted Blue to hear it, knew he probably could because he knew her just that well, but found no solace. He didn't apologize, he ran away. But she'd pushed him there, and she knew it.

"Mama?"

Katara closed her eyes, suddenly remembering a dream she'd had of a golden-eyed girl, the need to protect her, and the sacrifice her father had made for her. But though the girl in that dream had been everything she'd wanted at one point, the girl behind her, the real one with the infectious laugh and shining smile, was waiting for her.

"I'm sorry, Lani," she crooned, and with a little cry, the child launched herself into her arms and held fast. Katara turned her body so that they weren't facing the fallen oak, but Lani craned her neck to see it anyways.

"I heard the noise and I thought something bad was happening. I got scared. Mama, I'm sorry. It's not your fault Blue left, it's mine," she said desperately, "you can be mad at me all you want and I won't mind, but please, please don't leave!" she begged, and Katara crushed her close. She knew what it was like to be so desperate for acceptance that it came at any cost, but a child shouldn't burden herself with guilt.

"I will never, ever leave you. Don't ever think that, baby girl, it wasn't your fault- it wasn't," she said firmly, and Lani just pressed her face into Katara's neck. Even though her arms ached from bending, she rose to kneeling and then to her feet with Lani cradled across her chest.

She walked back to the campsite, laid down and held Lani until they both fell asleep. The next morning, without talking much, Katara and her child packed up the campsite, discarded what they couldn't carry, and left. The journey back to Caldera took two weeks, multiple ferries and boat rides, carriages, carts, anything to save Lani's poor legs. She chose the longer way up from the bay, around the backside of the dormant volcano and up through the craggy hills, because the gates of Caldera were guarded heavily and she knew she should be sneaky.

In all the time it took, she kept an eye out for signs of being followed, or watched- glimpses of eyes in the bushes, shadowy figures beyond her vision, foot prints around their campsites. She looked in vain, and while she felt mostly relief that they were safe for the time being, she knew that a part of her was searching for a wicked blue leer that would have made her feel even more secure. Lani didn't mention Blue the entire time, and Katara took her cue and stayed quiet. It gave her time to remember all the pieces of puzzle she had so far, and to figure out her next step.

Lord Tenji hired those men, and she needed to learn more about him before she challenged him. She needed to know why he had any interest in her or her daughter, and how to make sure that interest ended immediately. It was likely that her apartment was no longer safe, and she had no money for a new one. She'd already been pinching food from fruit stands and roasting birds that Lani took down, because she'd used the last of her silver pieces for carriage fare.

Once she'd dealt with Tenji, she had to find a way back to Azula. Ursa said she and Zuko had snuck into the palace by an underground tunnel, and that the last time she'd seen him, he was upset, but still alive. Where had he gone inside the palace, and why had he been angry? There was only one person who would know what happened after he left the room, and that was who came in next to replace him. But she couldn't very well ask Azula, could she?

By the time they were walking down their street, Katara carefully hooded and Lani with her hair braided back and a cloak over her small body, she'd decided to go into the Upper Ring and track down Lord Tenji after she checked out her old apartment. Lani could stay hidden in the back room of the tea shop without anyone ever noticing, she'd told Katara herself about taking naps in the store room when business had been slow. If the tea shop wasn't open, she would take Lani to the healer Aang had been with. That would also give her a chance to ask the healer where he'd gone.

"Mama," Lani whispered, breaking through her thoughts. She pointed surreptitiously to the courtyard of the tea shop, where two soldiers were just stepping down to the bottom of the staircase, and Katara grabbed her hand, lowering it before they noticed she was pointing.

"Just keep walking, honey." Katara put a hand on Lani's shoulder and kept their pace steady, even as the soldiers turned to watch them, even after she turned down a side street onto the next avenue. When she finally felt secure, the waterbender leaned against a wall and sighed. The courtyard had been cleaned, all evidence of Aang's fight removed. There was a fresh, but haphazardly done coat of paint on the walls, and boards were nailed over her windows, though her door was unblocked. "Looks like we can't go home just yet. Do you want to come with me to visit a friend?"

Lani smiled, a dimple appearing in her cheek. "Do I have a choice, or is that one of the questions I'm not really supposed to answer?" Katara laughed and hugged her, then led her out of the shadows and to the healer's house. The old woman came to the door when she knocked, but only glared at her through the crack in the door.

"Your friend isn't here anymore, and you being here will bring me trouble. I'm sorry, but I can't help you." Katara reached out, her mouth falling open in shock.

"I thought you wanted to help us and the Avatar," she accused, and the lady snorted.

"I did before another girl showed up and got him, and then soldiers came to my door and demanded both of them. They tore the entire room apart, trashed my home- no, my little chickie, you'll find no more help here." And with that, she shut the door in Katara's face.

Her mind whirled as she took Lani again by the hand and started out of the area. Aang had been picked up by a girl? Was it Toph, maybe, or someone from the temple? Either way, she had to think about it later. Lani needed a place to stay safely, somewhere that no one would look for her. Somewhere quiet, where she could sit for hours at a time without being conspicuous.

The answer didn't come until they were already halfway to the Upper Ring, but it was so simple that it made Katara laugh, drawing Lani up short in the middle of the street. A few passing people gave her dirty looks for stopping so suddenly, but by the time one man angrily told her to get moving, she was already pulling Lani in the opposite direction, the way they'd come from.

"Where are we going?" she asked, and Katara smiled down at her, telling her to wait a moment. When they came to a stop outside the library, her nose wrinkled in distaste and she let go of Katara's hand. "It looks dark in there. And smelly."

"You can't judge a book by its cover, Lani. Or its smell. And you'll see plenty of books in there, I promise you. I have to run some errands, but you can't come with me. It's too dangerous. Can you stay here until I come for you?" Lani shrugged, biting her lip. Katara took that as consent, and gently led the child into the musty old building. She went up to the empty front desk and waited for a moment, looking around for the librarian. The old, smooth wood felt nice under her palms, and the scent of paper and ink comforted her, reminding her, strangely enough, of Iroh and his letters. She missed him, and she knew she could use his advice.

"Whadduya want?" Katara jumped and cursed loudly as the old hag popped up right in front of her, smiling with all her missing teeth. She cackled and coughed wetly, then came out from behind the counter and sized her up. "Jumpy thing, aren't you? Anyways, I figured you'd be back. Thirsty for knowledge, eh?"

"Looking for help, actually," Katara said warily, but the woman just nodded sagely and folded her arms across her chest, waiting. "Lani," Katara called, and the little girl emerged from behind a bookshelf with a scroll in her hands, her eyes shining. The woman's eyebrows raised, and Katara pleaded quietly, "I have to take care of some things that she can't be there for.

"Mama, look at this one! I've never seen anything like it! What is it?" She showed Katara the picture on the scroll, and Katara smiled at the depiction of a magnificent lion turtle with a whole forest on its back.

"'What is it?' What a question! Come, girl, I'll teach you all about them, and anything else you want to know." The librarian glanced at Katara, then put her twisted old hand on Lani's shoulder. It was like she could read Katara's mind, which was both unsettling and a profound relief.

"I have to go, but I'll be back for her. Thank you- she won't be any trouble, Lani's a good girl and I promise, I'll come back and pick her up. I promise," she said again, though this time to Lani. The girl gazed at her very solemnly, then nodded and rolled up the scroll, her cheeks reddening. Katara bent down and kissed her goodbye, wiping a tear from her cheek. She knew this wasn't good for her, being left alone all the time when she'd already been abandoned so many times. But this was better than the alternative.

"Thank you again," she said, and the hag pinched her cheek, hard. Like she was a toddler.

"Go take care of whatever business you have. I can tell it's important, and it seems like you've got a life to get back to once it's finished. I'll look after the little one." Katara nodded and left, knowing she didn't need to worry about her daughter when she was under the protection of that old dragon. The sun was at the highest point in the sky, and she started to sweat as she hurried back to her apartment. She needed to know where Aang was, who he was with, and if he'd gotten a letter to Sokka before he disappeared. Since her apartment was the only other place they'd been together, she knew if he'd left something for her, it would be there. If Lord Tenji was as important as he sounded, she might need his political standing to attain an audience with him. It was the best plan she could think of- gather information, infiltrate, execute.

The guards were gone from the courtyard when she got there, but still, Katara hung around the block for a while, watching closely. Sure enough, about ten minutes after she arrived, two official looking men turned into the tea shop's yard and went up the stairs to her home. She shrank back into the shadows, then caught a glimpse of the insignia on their sleeves and relaxed. They were just the Post Carriers, both fitted out with cropped pants, long boots and armbands emblazoned with a scroll tied in black ribbon. One drew a scroll from his bag and looked at it quizzically, and the other asked him something. He gestured to the boarded up windows, but after a long moment, the first man shrugged and gingerly set the scroll in front of the door.

By the time they were around the corner, she was already up the stairs, frantically breaking the seal on the parchment and unrolling it, expecting to see hurried directions towards a meeting spot, or plans to reconnect later. She didn't, however, expect a long, flowing script and embossed cherry blossoms.

"The Esteemed Lord Tenji of Matiko cordially invites Lady Katara of the Southern Water Tribe to dine and dance… at his personal retreat, the House of the Golden Lotus?" She read the words three times before the meaning finally sunk in, and when it did, she sat down, hard. The sun beat down on her head, making her thought process slower than usual.

In the South Pole, if two people had a quarrel, they stated their terms, agreed on a compromise, and went on with their lives, or they fought for their terms one on one. Here, in the land of gilded knives and pretty poison, the aristocrats drank tea with their enemies and hid threats in bouquets. She would never understand it, she decided, and frankly, she was relieved things were still so simple back home.

Gather information, infiltrate, execute? Or glide in as one of them, invited and accounted for, and play it by ear? She shook her head, still bewildered by the fact that that was even an option. She thought back to when she and Toph had dressed up and snuck into that party in Ba Sing Se, and felt ridiculous even considering it. She was hardly more than a peasant, and the aristocrats would be able to tell within seconds. It was ludicrous. It was stupid. It was the best choice, and she didn't want to choose it. Surely it was a trap, but maybe if she was careful, she could avoid springing it?

Even so, Katara rolled the scroll up and quickly descended the staircase. She looked over her shoulder as she stalked down the road, knowing she'd probably stayed at the entrance to her apartment too long and that she couldn't waste any more time there. Now that she was invited into Tenji's home, Aang would have to wait. The date on the invitation was that same night, and the party was supposed to start at eight. She had about six hours to figure out how to make herself presentable, and how to get Tenji on his own to confront him.

But first, she needed to make sure Lani would be taken care of. She sighed and wiped the sweat from her brow, then began the trek back to the library. Her legs ached, but she was strong. She made good time, only stopping once to get a sip of water from a public fountain and snatch an apple from a passing cart. It surprised her that she still felt guilty about stealing, after everything else she'd done, but it was a relief to know that she wasn't numb to crime.

She'd finished half the apple by the time she walked into the library, and she caught a glimpse of Lani through the bookshelves. She was sitting with the librarian, looking down at a bright illustration she could only see the edge of. Lani's eyes were big, and the old woman was watching her with approval. "She brought him back from the edge of death, she did. She was known for her healing, and everywhere she went, people remembered her. Your mother's a beauty, which I'm sure, helped with the remembering." Katara gasped and crouched down between more bookshelves, pushing aside dusty scrolls to see the picture.

It was a drawing of the old gang. Aang smiled up from the page, brilliantly colored, though the grey of his eyes was a little too dark. Toph stood facing half away, her own blank eyes brooding, her arms folded across her chest. Stone walls jutted above her in the background. Sokka (who the artist had apparently decided wasn't rugged or muscular enough in real life) had his arm around Suki, whose face was turned up into one of her famous smiles, and Katara found herself wondering what she looked like now, as a mother.

In the foreground of the picture, Katara's arms were raised and water floated above her head, her face calm, serene. Next to her stood Zuko, a flame cupped in his hand, looking at the rest of the gang as if he'd never see them again after that day. Even on paper, the rendering of his face ripped open her old wound, and she bit her lip. He had betrayed her, hated her, imprisoned her and mocked her, but he had never lied to her. Not like Blue did. How could love mean so many different things?

"Who are all these people with Mama? That's Aang, and that's Toph- except she's old now, and taller- but everyone else…" Lani said, her voice quieting.

"That's our Fire Lord Zuko, and it's a shame he died because you wouldn't have found a more intelligent, willing man in the whole country. He wanted to fix things, see- knew the nations had to unite to survive. It's said that he was going to lead us into a new era of peace and prosperity, but he never got the chance. The other man is Sokka of the Southern Water Tribe, your uncle of course, and his wife Suki. Have you never met them before, child, your own family?"

Katara stepped out from behind the shelf. "I'm back," she announced, and Lani jumped a foot in the air before slamming shut the bound illustration book and running to her. Katara swung her up into her arms and handed her the apple to finish as the librarian came around the corner, her eyebrow raised.

"Already? I thought you'd be gone for hours."

"Well, actually," she started, "that's what I came to talk about. I was originally going to visit a friend, but when I- well, basically, he invited me to a ball he's having tonight, and we need to have a very important… discussion. Lani can't come, and if I need to find her another place to stay tonight, I need to do it now so I have time to get ready." The woman started laughing dryly and waved the suggestion off, then glanced at her and started cackling harder. She felt a twinge of annoyance, and frowned.

"What's so funny?" she demanded, and the old bat pinched her cheek like she was a toddler.

"That a fearsome warrior like Katara of the Water Tribe- yes, I've known who you were since you first came here- who's apparently been roughing it since the end of the war, is going to a ball in muddy, sweat-stained robes and walking boots. Who's throwing the party, a hobo?" She coughed out a chuckle at her own joke.

"Lord Tenji, actually," Katara snapped, angry that it was so obvious she hadn't taken better care of herself. She knew her nails were uneven and dirty, that her hair was ragged at the ends and too long to style in anything other than a braid, but the part of her that was still all woman cried for the days where she regularly washed under her armpits. She watched as the librarian stopped laughing, her eyes widening, then she bit back a smile when the woman sniffed haughtily and turned away.

"Lord Tenji, eh? A close friend of yours, you say?" Katara felt her face freeze, and hoped it was in some semblance of a grin. It wouldn't do to leave the impression that she was going to do something unsavory, just in case the old bat happened to know him.

"In a way. See, I've never met him, but we've had some correspondence in the past, and he's invited me to a ball tonight to bring all that to a head. This is my last chance to make my feelings known, and it's the most important thing in my life, so I'll go naked if I have to." The hag looked her over with a critical eye, then shook her head with a sigh.

"Tenji is a very important bastard with very powerful backings. A marionette set on silver-leafed string. No doubt he'd enjoy seeing you naked, the old leech, but you'd be better served by taking yourself down to Ishiki Street and finding the salon, then the dress shop. Lord Tenji likes pretty things, and he's an aristocrat so you can be sure he'll act good in front of his guests, and do his dirty work in the back rooms."

"I don't have any money." Katara's admission was waved away, and she was led into the back room behind the counter. Lani tagged along, throwing the apple core in a bin and wiping her sticky fingers on her shirt before catching Katara's eye and smiling guiltily. "What are we doing back here?" she asked, and the librarian stepped back from a chest to shove a handful of gold coins into Katara's hands.

"The great thing about running a library here is that all the rich, aristocrats want to donate to charities to impress their society friends, yet none of them care if you actually buy new scrolls and whatnot. I treat myself to pickled plums on rice every day and not one person gives a rodent's- well, they don't mind, anyhow."

Katara knew it would be polite to decline, to refuse the money and earn it somehow on her own… but she had not the time or the will to pass up free money. She instead nodded and said, "I'll donate twice this amount when I can, and I won't forget." The librarian grinned widely.

"I expect you will. Now go to Ishiki and tell them Takaguratawaniashita sent you." Katara's mouth dropped open, but she closed it hastily and bowed in thanks, frantically mouthing the syllables. When she straightened back up, Lani hugged her and put her hand on Katara's cheek, staring up at her with her big innocent eyes.

"Have fun at the party. I want to see you when you're all dressed up someday. And… and can I meet my uncle soon? It's okay if you don't want me to, but- well, he and Aunt Suki look like they might like me, if you tell them I'm your daughter." Katara nodded tightly, tears pricking at the backs of her eyes.

"They would love you just as I did, even when you were alone as an orphan. If I hadn't gotten to you first, you might have even been calling Suki 'mother' by now," she said gaily, knowing that it wasn't certain Lani would ever get the chance to meet Sokka but suddenly wishing for nothing more than her family and old friends back together. Katara thanked the librarian again, having already forgotten the last part of her name, then kissed her daughter and left the library, gold in her pocket and the future in mind.

If only she could remember that damned woman's name.

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><p><strong>Pretty long chapter, no? Sorry- I had a lot of ground to cover, and didn't really know a good place to stop. Review!<strong>

**-Aleina**


	23. The Gilded Life

**Here we are again, hopefully fast enough to suit you all! Enjoy, and review :)**

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><p>Chapter 23<br>The Gilded Life

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><p>"Takaneishigatu? I don't know her. Why would she send you here?" the old woman said glibly, and Katara stared, open-mouthed at someone who was so obviously enjoying the exchange. She <em>knew<em> that the old lady knew who had sent her- she'd said 'the librarian Tanaguso… uh, -sowanishi' the first time and watched her eyes light up with mirth and malice. This was just a waste of time, for Tui's sake, she'd tried to remember the damn name four times so far, and was nearing desperation.

"Look, the librarian sent me, I don't remember her name but it was really long and she was really short and I'm in a really big rush, so either take my gold and her recommendation or I'll go elsewhere," Katara said quickly, pulling a handful of coins out of her pocket- and then it was in the old woman's talons, then gone, hidden in some secret pocket. The woman smirked and patted her cheek condescendingly.

"Taka-san is my sister, and for some reason she always sends me the most hopeless women ever, really, sometimes without the means to pay. But you're fine, dear." The woman, who barely came up to her chin, suddenly grasped her arm and steered her inside the parlor. Katara braced herself for more ridiculousness such as on Ember Island, but to her relief, she was the only woman in the shop, and the only attendants were younger girls who smiled and greeted her by offering her a robe.

Her hands were buffed, nails trimmed and shined with emery paper and oil. She spent an entire hour in a milk bath to soften and lighten her skin, wrinkling her nose in distaste when one of the girls put a more potent mixture onto her face, wiping it off and giving her a mirror to see the gentle reflection. They gave her back her robe, and spent a few embarrassing minutes removing her body hair. Sumi-san tutted at her bruises and applied a cooling salve that felt amazing, but did little to lessen the vibrantly colored splotches. One of the girls poured Katara a cup of tea, and the warm drink wakened her and cleared her head.

Sumi-san grabbed one of her hands and inspected her palm, rubbing the heel of her hand for a moment. "You've got bruises and scars on every inch of you, but the hands of a woman. Which are you, dear? Warrior or wife?" She coughed a laugh out, and Katara smiled politely, looking down at her hands. She'd never really noticed it before, but she really did have healer's hands. Mother's hands, maybe.

She was undressed again and showered, her entire body scrubbed with a porous rock and smoothed over with crème. "Where are all these scars and calluses from? You're Water Tribe, I can tell, but I wasn't aware they were so… _primitive_ as to send their women into combat." The dig was obvious, and she smothered a mental image of the old windbag sutured to her wall by a wave of ice. She could do better.

"Oh, they don't," Katara said with a cheery smile, "I was a prisoner at the Boiling Rock and had a habit of picking fights with the older women who asked too many questions." The woman paused in scrubbing her heel and narrowed her eyes suspiciously. Katara wiggled her toes and shrugged innocently. "Don't worry. They rehabilitated me."

The visit went quickly after that.

She stepped out into the early afternoon sun wincing, her head aching from how hard they'd had to be with her hair. Inches of dead hair had been cut off and they had thinned it considerably, finding an embarrassing amount of twigs and dirt in her tangles despite the former baths. It had been so matted that it was a wonder she hadn't had to cut it all off. When they had finished restoring it, the woman, Sumi-san, had swept half her hair into an intricate topknot, and had braided small sections, pinning and draping them delicately, weighing some down with pristine white beads. The rest cascaded down her spine in silky waves, ending at the small of her back. An ivory bone hair-pick held the top knot in place, and a silvery-blue dragon wound his way around the end, carved to stand out from the slender pole.

Katara had dark kohl smudged along the base of her lashes on both her top eyelid and bottom, and it shocked her how much it changed her face. Her eyes seemed brighter, more luminous, and Sumi-san had stilled the touch of one of the younger assistants as she'd gone to brush rose powder on her cheeks. "She doesn't need more," she'd explained, then stood back with a critical eye. Katara had stood and turned in a slow circle at her command, and as a last touch, a small white crescent moon was painted on her shoulder, just to the left of her neck, and brushed with powder to make it stay.

Then, Sumi-san had told her, "Go to the dress shop two doors down and find Migumi. Tell her Sumi and Taka want her to use number forty-five, no exceptions or we'll have words over Sunday dinner," and sent her on her way with half the gold shoved back into her hands.

Katara knocked, then entered, and immediately sneezed, her eyes watering. Someone had scented the room with a delicious mix of orange blossom, lavender, and a sweet, enticing scent she couldn't place, and under normal conditions she'd be hooked. However, it was so overwhelmingly done that she feared the air quality- she could _taste _it.

"Don't you people know how to knock? Do you not have doors where you're from? Agni's thumb, the company we keep these days. On with you, I've no scraps for you." Katara drew herself up to her full height as the tiny grumbling woman emerged from behind the front desk, her eyes flashing.

"The Water Tribe isn't a tribe of beggars, and even if we were, I would rather die than-" she spat, but the woman's head snapped up, and piercing golden eyes met hers for a brief moment before the woman started cackling.

"Ah, Water Tribe, water- never mind, dear, it's those mud slingers I worry about- their woven linen is barely usable for animal blankets, much less their so-called finery- bah!" She snorted, then hopped off her stool, grabbed Katara in a way she'd become very familiar with, and carted her into the back rooms of her store. She was immediately hit by a wall of red and gold, with clashing oranges and yellows setting the walls afire and glittering beads flashing in the light. "Come on, let Migumi lead the way, pretty."

Katara was positioned in front of a huge mirror, facing her own nonplussed expression as Migumi dragged a stool over and climbed on top of it."Let me have a look at you," she demanded, and yanked Katara down into a crouch, to eye level. She was starting to feel trapped, and brought her hands up in a placating gesture.

"Look, I'm sure- well, pretty sure, at least, that you know what you're doing, but Sumi-san and Taka-san say 'number forty-five, no exceptions'." Migumi didn't look convinced, and Katara added, "Or you'll have words over Sunday dinner." The seamstress stilled, cocked her head slightly to the left and nodded, satisfied.

"I can see it," she commended, and then turned and walked away. Katara sat on the ground, unsure if she should follow, but the woman was back within the minute, a box the length of Katara's arm balanced on her head and her arms full of clasps, ties, and other things she couldn't stomach at the moment. It all looked so complicated- she considered running, but that perfume was making her already aching head pound, and she doubted she'd make it. These women seemed fearless.

"Take your clothes off and stand still," she ordered. Katara obliged, used to shucking her layers off by then. Migumi circled her for a moment, then knelt and opened the box, folding away sheets of paper and then lifting out something made of blue-grey fabric with a silvery sheen to it. Katara smiled when she saw it, her newly shaped fingernails shining as she trailed her hands over the glossy robe. "No one's ever worn this, because no one's ever seen it. I made it and stitched everything on it from a batch of cheap silk- cheap because of the color, not the quality, dear- and to this day, not one person's been worthy of it. The stitching is unparalleled- pity it's not a prettier color, or this would have sold for a high price."

She slung the robe around Katara, pulling at it until the collar sloped down and grazed her shoulder bones, showing off the moon at the joint of her shoulder and neck. The buttons at the front went straight down her chest, and there was a considerable inch of space between the buttons and the cords that fastened to them in which Katara's dark skin was visible, which tapered to a slim point just between her breasts. The robe was slit up to her hips on either side, and Migumi helped her into a white skirt which peeped through and gave the impression of whitecaps breaking along the waves. Embroidered from her heart, where a magnificent, shadowy head nestled upon her breast, to the hem of her skirt, where scaly talons and a fiery tail curled about her ankles, was an ancient dragon done in silver-grey thread, which shone with a muted light when the sun caught it through the window. The entire thing smoldered, rather than burned, and the sleeves billowed out and tapered in silk ribbon the same color as the dragon. She realized the legendary creature on her dress was identical to the one on her hair piece.

Katara gazed at the woman in the mirror, and for a moment, she imagined that she was royal in the way Zuko and Ursa were- regal without trying, power at their fingertips but the full weight of their decisions and their country resting heavily on their shoulders. She knew she could have done it, would have gladly done it. The Fire Nation would have been lucky to ally themselves with the Water Tribe, and though she held a special place in her heart for the ways of her childhood, she knew the Southern Tribe had to be growing, changing, modernizing. In another life, she just might have been Fire Lady, but those times had passed. Now, the only way she could get invited anywhere was to spring a trap.

She smiled at the thought, and Migumi grinned and nodded. "I can see it," she repeated, "You've got the right to wear this tonight. It seems to fit you well- I only need to pin it in a few places." She did just that, tucking a few pins into the back of the robe and lifting it to shape to Katara's waist and hips. With a few quick pulls, the fabric straightened into uniform ruffles, and the pins were hidden. "Perfect. What's this for?" she asked, and Katara hesitated.

"I'm going to a ball," she started, and the old woman nodded knowledgably and brushed a strand of Katara's hair off her shoulders.

"Lord Tenji's ball, no doubt. Everyone's been in a hurry today to prepare for it; normally he gives a week's notice. No one turns down an invitation though, so all of the Upper Ring has been in a dither today." Katara took in the information silently, wondering at the oddity of the situation. She knew it was suspicious- he suddenly has a ball for no reason, the day she gets back from a mission that was supposed to kill her and her daughter, and he invited her to come along? He had to be planning something.

"Thank you very much- this is all the gold I have left," Katara said, and Migumi eyed it.

"That's not near enough." She said it so shortly that Katara didn't know what to say at first. She was about to offer to work in the shop for a few days when the woman reached up, pinched her cheek and said, "Did Sumi-san give you hell about Takaguratawaniashita's name?" Katara nodded, her brow furrowed. Migumi shrugged, then smiled and said, "They've done it to practically everyone they've met since childhood. At least she didn't ask you to spell it out. Consider this a favor for all the trouble they've caused." Still, she clapped her wizened hands together happily when the waterbender dropped a few gold pieces on the desk anyways.

Katara thanked her again and went outside with a bundle of clothes under her arm, then went into a nearby alley and began to reorganize the knives she'd hidden. She came back out onto the street fully armed, realizing with a start that she didn't know where Lord Tenji's home was- the House of the Golden Lotus had to be in the Upper Ring, and she was halfway through the business district. The sun was already beginning to near the horizon, and the invitation had said arrive at eight. She began walking up the hill, towards the barrier between the Upper and Lower Rings. It was a tall, fearsome red wall with gilded globes atop the posts, and though there was no gate, the entry to the Upper Ring was so obviously selective that it was clearly invitation only.

The wall was still in sight when she stopped off in a small courtyard to check a sun dial. It was just after seven, and she could feel her strength begin to wane. Katara glanced around, saw a tea cart and walked over, smiling at the young man who was pushing it. He smiled back in a friendly way, bowing slightly when she approached. "What sort of teas are you selling?" she asked, and he took the lids off several canisters set into the cart's surface.

"This one is jasmine, good for relaxing thought and stimulation of the senses. The spice chai is a special blend, used to awaken you and loosen up your muscles and joints. The other is chamomile, good for if you're about to go to bed." Katara inhaled the fragrant mixture of spices, and something smelled familiar. She thought back to the tea from the salon, and knew she wanted one like it.

"Do you ever deliver tea into shops along these streets?" she asked, and he," nodded proudly.

"My father and I grow everything ourselves, and we sell dry tea leaves to some of the stores. Why, have you a specific flavor in mind?" She described the warm, spicy drink she'd had at Sumi-san's parlor, and he scratched the stubble on his chin, thinking. "Sounds like spice chai to me. Would you like that?" She agreed, and he poured tea, cream and sugar together in a cracked wooden cup and offered it to her. She exchanged a bronze coin for the cup and sipped it, acknowledging the familiar flavor with a content sigh.

He tipped his hat to her and began to roll his cart away, but Katara held her hand out and he stopped. "Do you know where I can find the House of the Golden Lotus?" she asked, and he shook his head with a wry smile.

"No, but I can help you hire someone to take you there, miss. I figured you were dressed up like that for some reason, though for all I know you dress grandly every day- beg pardon miss," he added respectfully, and Katara started, just now taking in the way he lowered his eyes and thinking what she must look like to him. She was poorer than he was, his clothes faultlessly clean and mended by a caring needle, her own daily costume ragged. She'd never been good at sewing, though Gran Gran had stressed it. Damn her younger self for not paying better attention. Still, it was good to know her disguise as a well-behaved society miss was sound.

She agreed to the help and thanked the vender, who then led her to a busier street with the lamps lit, and whistled until a younger boy led a rickshaw over. They bartered for a moment and Katara paid, then gave the tea man back his wooden bowl, along with a hefty tip. He grinned and thanked her by bowing, and gently helped her into the rickshaw, settling a fur over her lap to ward off the chill.

She stroked the fur to calm herself all throughout the bumpy ride up into the Upper Ring. The sun was over the horizon, and the warm breeze fanned over her face, strong enough to stir strands of her hair, but not enough to actually make her cold. She supposed these firebenders were too used to their own climate- she bet that the majority of them hadn't even seen snow before. Katara adjusted the knife tucked into a sheath on her thigh and repositioned her robe, then swept under her eyes to make sure her make-up wasn't running. _Oh, the things a woman has to think of when going to a ball_, she thought wryly.

"Here we are, miss, the House of the Golden Lotus," the rickshaw driver panted as he came to a stop, and Katara's jaw dropped. She'd seen this house many times when she'd lived in her ambassador's residence, and had admired it every time she passed on her walks. The front yard was a garden with small, twisted trees with red leaves and mossy rocks surrounding a pool. Colorful flowers crowded the edge of the pond, and a small waterfall trickled delicately from between a few bamboo shoots. Stairs led the way up to the front of the house, the double doors thrown open and people already milling about the covered verandah, leaning up against thick red pillars and wandering inside for more small glasses of whatever it was they were drinking. She knew these were the finest of Caldera, but the adults who flitted around, dressed so ridiculously in huge shoulder spikes and shimmering trains, looked like children playing dress up.

Katara stepped down from the rickshaw and straightened up, pulling an image of Ursa from her mind and copying the posture. She smiled at the driver and tipped him, then ascended the staircase. Some people looked over at her, and most continued to stare as she passed, their mouths dropping open, fans hastily snapping open so women could flutter their eyelashes at her prettily even as they poisoned her name with their lips. Her hands started shaking, and she could feel eyes turn to her as an ominous murmur started up all around her. Katara walked with her head held high into the foyer, where gold and red assaulted her eyes and the rug she stepped on at the entrance probably cost more than her entire apartment did for a year. Unfriendly gazes had her hackles up, and she was beginning to reconsider the intelligence of her plan. She made a beeline for the buffet table, not knowing what else to do.

"They all look rather stunned that you've showed up, don't you think?" she heard, and a man came up beside her on the right and refilled his glass from a punch bowl. He was dressed in a lovely orange traditional style robe, with fire lilies embroidered all around the base, loose petals thinning out as they drifted up the fabric. It was fastened by a dark blue sash around the middle, and all looked tremendously expensive. His eyes were bright and expressive, his hair peppered with grey and oiled back.

At her silence, he inclined his head and continued, "and to do so in such a fashion- late, unannounced, and dressed in the most exquisite of costumes- my dear Katara, you overshadow all those around you, and in that shadow, your lessers turn practically green with envy." As he'd spoken, Katara had watched the other people eye them apprehensively, and she'd drawn herself up to her full height, eyes narrowed coolly.

"Lord Tenji, I presume," she answered, and he nodded, a small smile still playing around the corners of his mouth. "You're an odd man," she mused aloud, her hands clenching into fists, "to invite the prey to come and dine with you when she has the means to become the predator with a single flick of her wrist." He agreed silently, then sipped his drink and put it down with precise, gentle movements.

"And what willing prey would I be, to be devoured by a hunter as beautiful as you," he complimented her. "However, my guests might be startled by an execution, so I must ask you to refrain for the moment." She barked out a laugh, shifting her weight restlessly.

"I'll refrain, but not because you're requesting it. It seems that you're not surprised I survived your attack, and you don't look too upset to see me. I can only assume you've called me here to spring a trap, and as such, that means I have a limited amount of time to get answers from you."

He sighed with the air of a lovesick teen and grabbed her hand, bringing it to his lips. "Then ask, my dear," he said simply, and patted her hand before tugging her arm through his and leading her around the room in a steady walk. She glided next to him, organizing her thoughts, then spoke.

"Why did you invite me to this?" she asked. He gestured to the people around them, raising his eyebrows.

"This is a gathering of those who I respect and cherish. You are here to talk, laugh, drink and be merry." He stated it as if it was obvious, and the smile on his face told her he was the type to hide every answer within a maddening comment.

"So you respect me?" she asked, and he nodded once, very decisively. "Why?" she demanded, and he hushed her as a woman glanced over, her mouth drawn.

"Quietly, or people will suspect we're having a lover's tiff," he admonished her, then said, "I respect you because of the love you have for your daughter, and indeed all the people in this nation."

"Not all of them," she muttered, but he sailed on as if he hadn't heard her.

"You used to fascinate me, did you know that? The waterbender who survived, befriended kings and avatars and Agni knows who else. I followed the rise of Avatar Aang closely, and it seems that one person set all his doing into motion. One person kept him going when he was gone from himself. One person- one _woman-_ trailed him to the ends of the earth and back, and that woman is you, Katara." He chuckled at her wrinkled nose. "Don't look so surprised, my dear. You used to walk about the Upper Ring as if you owned it, and rumor has it that you might've, if Lord Zuko had lived. I saw you from my porch, and was enamored at first sight."

"It's a little late to be confessing your love to me, Tenji," she said coldly, "you tried to have me killed remember?"

"Yes, I did, but let me-"

"You stole my daughter- an innocent little girl- and I went through hell to get her back safely. You destroy my home, my security, and you want me to listen to you explain yourself?" she asked incredulously, and he squeezed her wrist insistently.

"Lower your voice, madam, Lady Kitsunaka is in danger of straining her neck to look at you without looking at you," he murmured, then went on before she could cut in, "but let me say plainly that I have no explanation, and _that_ in and of itself should be enough to answer all your questions."

"What does that even mean?" she asked in a furious whisper.

"It means, Lady Katara, that there are some things beyond my control, and that I did everything possible to preserve you and your daughter." She stared at him, open-mouthed, but gone was the collected, hospitable gentleman who greeted her, and in his place was a weary old man frantically looking over his shoulder. She watched his face melt into a mask of detached sympathy, and he turned his golden eyes on her. "Did you not think the captors rather… amateur? Did they not keep Lani asleep and treat her well? Those were my express orders, to not harm her- I don't like violence, especially when children are involved. You don't understand Caldera, my dear, but this city is exactly like the volcano which houses it- dormant and docile at first glance, a roiling hotbed of guilt and gilded lies at a closer look."

She opened her mouth to respond, but there was a sudden wave of disturbance in the room, and their conversation was cut short by the arrival of another late guest.

Katara felt Tenji's grip on her hand tighten, then slacken, and her own body felt suddenly weak and vulnerable. She understood all at once what he was saying, and the librarian's voice drifted through her mind like smoke following a fire.

"_Tenji is a very important bastard with very powerful backings… a marionette on silver-leafed string…"_

The puppet master- the true danger- had arrived, the Fire Lord's five-pronged flame ornament flashing amid coal-black hair, familiar golden eyes glinting just as hard, just as deceptively beautiful. She surveyed the room regally, then strode over to where they stood. Katara gazed into her eyes and lifted her chin defiantly, refusing to bow as Tenji did.

"Well, well, well," Azula breathed, staring hungrily at Katara's face, her mouth twitching up into her trademark smirk. "Aren't you enjoying the scene we've set for you, Katara?"

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><p><strong>Aaaaaand the devil woman returns. What lies in store for Katara? Find out soon! Review in the meantime :)<strong>


	24. Collar Your Dog

**Hello again! Please remember to review! Please. Oh, and I would like to thank nephertiri for inspiring the title and a few events in this chapter! I hope you enjoy the spin I've put on it :)**

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><p>Chapter 24<p>

Collar Your Dog

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><p>Katara stared at her, the pieces coming together in her mind. "So far, it's been a lot of fun," she answered, "but I doubt you've finished setting it just yet. Come on, Azula- where's your lightning?" The brat glared at her, bristling, and Tenji stepped back.<p>

"Shall I leave the two of you to your intertwining destinies, or would you like me to interject and save the epic battle for after dessert?" he said amicably, stroking his thin beard and gazing into the distance. "My chefs have prepared a rather promising array of delicacies, and it would be a pity to forget them."

Azula smiled at him sweetly. "Oh, Lord Tenji, we will be fine on our own. Katara knows better than to endanger her little sweetheart by ruining our fun." Her blood ran cold as the younger woman turned back to her, feigning surprise. "You didn't know? Or perhaps, did you think _we_ didn't know? There are more eyes in this city than you think, savage, and they are all turned to you."

Katara thought back to the journey home, feeling desolate in knowing her pains had been for nothing. She'd tried so hard to hide herself and Lani, and already she had failed. "Good," she countered, "that way, when I finally expose you as a murderer, everyone will be paying attention. How do you think your citizens would feel about you killing their only hope for peace and unity?"

Azula laughed merrily, and those closest to her shuffled away from the terrible sound. "You think these people wanted peace? Look around you. They prosper from my regime because I support them in turn. The commoners don't matter because they have no money and no means to make issues." She sniffed, then flicked her bangs out of her face. "As for this claim of murder… I don't know what you're talking about."

"You killed your own brother," she said quietly, her hands shaking with rage. Somewhere behind her, a band started up, and the ensuing music covered her next words so that only Azula could hear. "Everyone's going to find out. They'll hate you more than they already do. Even your own mother-"

"Silence, peasant!" Azula hissed, looking so deranged that for a moment, all Katara could see was the broken little girl, sobbing after she'd been beaten in the Agni Kai. "You know nothing of my mother!"

"Don't be so sure," Katara said sweetly, smiling, her cheeks strained with the effort. Azula grimaced, looking away, seeming for all the world like an annoyed teenager. It took her a moment to realize that that was exactly what Azula was. What they all had been during the end of the war- just kids, who somehow made it out alive despite some hellish situations. Well- most of them made it out.

"You think I don't know about your little visit? I found out when that idiot boy died- Han, his name was?- I was forced to let his mother go, though she didn't get very far. How you managed to get out of that one, I'll never know. But then you disappeared, and I had to flush you out. It took some doing, but Lord Tenji has always been a very good lapdog, and he didn't dream of disagreeing."

"So you told him to throw this party because no one ever turns down an invitation from him?" Katara guessed. "You waited until I was back in the city, sent that invite because you wanted to come face to face with me. Now that you've accomplished that, what are you going to do with it?"

Azula stiffened at the challenge, her eyes turning cold. She arched her brow and put her hand on her hip, wrinkling her nose in disgust and hatred. "I want you to _stop_," she snarled, "My brother is dead, this country needs a ruler who actually brings us into the next generation with glory and power, and you will gain _nothing_ by trying to find him."

"I'll gain the satisfaction of everyone knowing what you are, you- wait," Katara stopped, narrowing her gaze mistrustfully and zeroing in on Azula's eyes, where a flicker of some unnamed emotion had broken through the steely veneer. "Trying to find _him?_ Not trying to find out why-"

"I don't have time to teach you about variations in grammar, Katara," Azula interrupted scathingly, but Katara ignored the jab, staring intently into her eyes, the world around them blurring at the edges. Something was off. Something familiar.

"_Even if I did, you wouldn't believe it."_

Katara glanced down at Azula's folded arms, then back to her face with a strange little smile. "Do you remember anything of our healing sessions?" she asked, and Azula cocked her head to the side, immediately suspicious of this change in topic. "You almost never spoke. We would be in the same room together for hours, and you'd only ever nod or shake your head. I would ask you if you'd eaten that day, and you'd answer me silently. And I asked-"

"_Do you not talk to me because you hate me, or because you can lie easier that way?"Katara pondered aloud, and Azula focused on her for the first time since she'd come in the door. Katara took her hands away from Azula's pulse point and temple, waiting._

"_I surely hate you, so perhaps that's partly true… but mostly, I stay silent because I can't lie anymore." Azula unfolded her arms, showing Katara for the first time her pale, trembling hands. "I'm out of practice, and whatever you're doing to me isn't helping. Yet another reason to plot my revenge." Katara blinked in surprise, but Azula didn't acknowledge anything._

"It was the closest your Royal Loonyship ever came to making a joke," she said quietly, and Azula tensed, her eyes wide, her nostrils flared. Katara smiled indulgently, as if she was talking to a child. "Let's see how steady your hands are, Princess." By then, the company closest to them had stilled and quieted, their expressions ranging from curiosity to horror.

Someone grabbed Katara's arm, and she found herself being bent- no, steered- into a stiff bow with the strange man. He straightened them back up and said, "The master of this house, the gracious Lord Tenji would like the party to move into the dining hall for supper. Come, merry goers- after you, Fire Lord Azula," he added with an incline of his head, and the little snot smirked at Katara.

"I'm glad to see that you've collared your _dog_, Lord Ji Lou," she spat, and turned away with her head held high, her hands clenched into fists at her sides.

She couldn't tell from that distance if they trembled or not, but Katara was willing to bet her life that they were.

"Sorry about that." The man stepped back, revealing himself to be an older gentleman in Earth Kingdom colors, his salt and pepper beard pointed and his hair pulled back into a simple topknot. "Allow me to formally introduce myself- Ji Lou from the Maiko region- not a very prosperous or popular one, but we get along alright." Katara inclined her head with clipped movements, feeling hard stones where her eyes should be and unadulterated rage at being interrupted.

"I was handling it fine," she said in response, and Ji Lou shook his head with a sigh and a weary look to the room around them.

"Let us continue this conversation in the hall," he suggested, and Katara was curious enough to follow him out of the room and into an ornate, colorful hall full of antiques and art. They walked along, and he continued, "I couldn't let you continue that conversation in front of the other guests. It doesn't shine well on you, and if you're to be credible later on, you have to have a good impression on people." Katara snorted contemptuously, and he persisted, "Really. As an ambassador and a master waterbender, it's imperative that the public think well of you. And as such a valued person in Fire Lord Zuko's life- Agni bless him- it was very important to meet you here tonight." He stopped walking and turned to her, staring intently into her eyes. His own were a deep, glossy shade of green that glittered in the weak candlelight, eyes that penetrated her heart and seemed to lay it bare.

"Zuko was a favorite student of mine," he confessed quietly. "When he was fourteen, after the Agni Kai with his father, Zuko's balance was badly impaired because of his partial sight loss. I was brought into the palace because I was a lieutenant in the Earth Kingdom Army who'd surrendered rather than let the Fire Nation raze all the villages in the area, and I'd been noted for my mastery of lunar metal and sword play. I was a slave hired by General Iroh to help Zuko rehabilitate before he was to be exiled."

"I thought he left right after the Agni Kai," Katara said, staring at this man in a new light, knowing he'd probably seen a side of Zuko that no one else had been privy to. She missed him so much that she could hardly breathe for a moment, and it was overwhelmingly relieving to know she was not the only one who mourned him. They started walking again, Ji Lou searching the walls with his forceful eyes.

"Everyone assumed he did, because Ozai commercialized the experience and used it to teach a lesson to all that defied or disrespected him- pain, and immediate judgment. In reality, Zuko's face took a few months to heal fully, during which he was kept in a wing of the palace and studied with me. Even when he left to find the Avatar, he was bandaged. However, he had regained most of his basic bending forms, and along with it, I taught him all I could about blades."

He turned to stop and gaze at a pair of ornamental sai on the wall which glimmered subtly in the light. Katara knew the material looked familiar, and she was just about to comment on it when Ji Lou said, "I am acquainted with the sword master Piandao, who was the protégé of Mahashimoto. He told me of your brother's prowess with a sword, and his selection of a meteor for his substance. Mahashimoto lived in that mansion before Piandao did, and as a result of the frequent cosmic activity in his time, he became known for making weapons of lunar steel. Very expensive, but very durable, and often with a sheen so exquisite that they were considered masterpieces."

"And these are his pieces?" she asked, and Ji Lou nodded.

"Some of the only left in known existence- I know Zuko carried one I gave him always, as well as an engraved knife from his uncle, and a baron from the west had the largest collection assembled and catalogued, but the entirety of it was stolen and has not been recovered."

Katara suddenly became aware of the dagger strapped to her thigh, and how it matched the metal on the wall. She blushed furiously, knowing that Blue had been behind the burglary and suddenly ashamed to be mistreating a work of art.

"Ji Lou, I don't mean to be disrespectful, but why are you telling me this?" she asked, knowing they'd been gone far too long from the party and would have to try hard for an inconspicuous entrance.

He chuckled gently. "The reminisces of an old man know no bounds," he said apologetically, "I suppose I was trying to summon the courage to ask you, but I am more of a coward now than I was when I surrendered, so indeed, I'll just have to blurt it out- how did Zuko die?"

Katara jolted, hearing those words in her own voice, seeing the same expression on his face that she probably had had when she asked Ursa the very question she couldn't answer. And when his face fell, she wondered if Ursa had felt as guilty as she did now. "I don't know any more than you do, Ji Lou. I've tried to find out- that's what Azula and I were arguing about- but there's just dead ends every way I turn. Except…" she trailed off, not sure if she should share the true meaning of their latest exchange.

"You have nothing to fear from me, Katara, but perhaps it would be better if you kept that information to yourself," he said smoothly, she gave him an odd look. "I know what happened to the crew members of the ship he took on his last voyage. I know they're almost all dead. That's warning enough for me- I have a wife and a child here with me now, and we have to protect ourselves any way possible."

Katara nodded tightly. "I understand. Will you accompany me back to the dining hall?" she asked, and he shook his head, gazing up at the tri-tipped knives crossed on the wall.

"I need a moment to myself, so I hope you'll forgive me for my rudeness. May I follow after you?" She nodded and bowed respectfully, but he wasn't looking at her. She turned to leave, and when she got to the door, she turned back, the urge to say something too strong to squash.

"Ji Lou? I don't think you're a coward for surrendering. I think you're honorable, and knowing how much time you've spent with Zuko- how much it meant to him to be considered a loyal and true person- I hope you value that characteristic as much as I do." He did not acknowledge the comment, but before she shut the paper door, she swore she saw him bow his head with a sad smile.

When she entered the dining hall, Katara was directed to Lord Tenji's left, across the table from Azula. The ruler narrowed her eyes as she sipped from her glass, then put it down and rested her elbows on the table.

"Where have you been, Katara? Perhaps the members of the Water Tribe are so used to eating in huts that the gazebo out back was more suited to your tastes?" The men next to her chuckled, and she gave them an acknowledging smile. Katara gripped the table so hard her knuckles whitened. _I hate you,_ she thought at the feline look of superiority. Azula smiled like a snake.

"True that my tribe does not have grand monuments to our chiefs, but when the only available material is ice, the sculptures tend to melt before they can be unveiled. That's one of the reasons we live in the here and now instead of holding onto old traditions- igloos aren't often passed down through the generations." The same men laughed good naturedly, and she was brought back to how Sokka had often smoothed situations over with little jokes. Azula glanced at them in irritation, but they weren't paying attention to her. She continued to address Katara.

"I have heard the same is true for your tribe's main exports- ice melts during shipping, and seal fat begins to stink so badly that sailors are forced to abandon ship." She blinked innocently. "No wonder the trade relationships didn't last."

Katara flushed when the men roared in laughter, and she leaned forward. "Zuko's trading treaties fell through because they weren't enforced by-" she snapped, but a sharp movement by Tenji made her stop. He'd clenched his hand into a fist on the table beside her glass, and when he caught her eye, he shook his head almost imperceptibly. The men were observing her closely, and Katara realized that she'd come very close to offending all the officials in the room. She looked at Lord Ji Lou, who sat further down the table, and he was tense, waiting to see if she would remember his advice or not.

"No- I mean, how could they have worked out? You have no need for bear-wolf furs or bone tools, and we have no need for thin, breezy silk and metal contraptions fueled by coal and firebending, neither of which is particularly bountiful in the South Pole." The guests smiled, most of them seeming appeased, and she struggled to find something clever to say that would dispel the awkward, accusatory tension.

Then, she smiled widely and admitted sheepishly, "However, we could have used some of those fire flakes to spice up the stewed sea prunes once in a while." This brought laughter back to the party, and it was helped along by the arrival of the main dishes, held on golden platters and offered one by one to the guests by servants who moved counterclockwise around the table. Katara chose some type of fowl covered in sweet sauce, small pot stickers, and hesitated at a few scoops of an aromatic salad composed of greens and bright red and orange peppers.

"That is a childhood favorite of mine," Azula announced imperiously, and Katara tried to smell it inconspicuously. It smelled bitter and spicy, neither of which she was particularly fond of. The servant fidgeted for a moment under Azula's commanding gaze.

"What's in it?" Katara asked, and the man quickly listed a bunch of vegetables she wasn't familiar with. He kept his eyes on Azula, and when she gave an audible sigh and lifted her chin, he dumped a portion onto Katara's plate without asking and moved to Azula's side.

Katara glanced at Lord Tenji to see what he made of it, and he was smiling, so she assumed he was either used to it or exceptionally talented at hiding his feelings. When the servant offered the plate to him, he declined, saying, "I see roast turtle-duck a few platters down, and sheepling behind that, so I must save what little room I have left."

Azula gave him a pointed look. "I insist, Lord Tenji- it's quite good, and you seem to be in dire need of something green anyways." Tenji patted his extensive stomach and chuckled, accepting a small scoop of the salad and calling for more wine.

Katara took a curious bite and was pleasantly surprised. The flavor was earthy, but the red peppers were spicy in a subtle way, smoky almost. "Finally, something we both like," Katara said to Azula sweetly, and the girl rolled her eyes at the performance, giving Tenji a significant look and raising a bite to her lips. He did the same, and winked at Katara as he put the spoon in his mouth.

Azula's eyes narrowed at her bite, and she smelled it. "Hmm- this doesn't smell right, it's almost acidic… like-" Her eyes widened in horror, and she dropped the spoon just as Tenji clenched his hand again. Katara was confused for a moment- she hadn't said or done anything disrespectful- but then he began to shake, and his face was red-

"He's been poisoned!" Azula yelled, standing up as Tenji began to violently buck, as he fell from his chair and seized on the ground, foaming at the mouth. Katara was already in action, pulling water from the plant in the corner and leaping across the table to kneel by him. A blast of bright blue fire erupted in front of her, and she rolled out of the way, off balance.

"No, I'm trying to-"

"She's trying to kill him!" Azula shouted, and all hell broke loose as she lunged forward, bending two whips towards her as Katara was forced to retreat away from the man suffocating on his own vomit. She drew up a shield, saw all the guests rear back in fright and rage, and knew without a doubt that she'd just signed her death warrant in their eyes.

"Get out!" someone yelled, and Katara saw Ji Lou running at her full tilt, skidding to a halt in front of her with the two sai raised in his fists. She sprung into action, unfreezing the water and slamming it into the wall behind her, which blew apart with a tremendous crash, revealing a hallway and a few screaming servants. She darted through the opening, turning back, saying "Come on, Ji Lou!"

There was a flash, a sound like splitting wood, and the old man fell, killed by the lightning that had surged through his body. She bit back a scream and fled, sprinting down the hall, slipping in her flimsy shoes as she turned the corner and slammed the door open. She could still hear the screams, and knew that Azula would be after her. Knew it was only a matter of time before she caught up.

She cursed vehemently and threw herself sideways into a chamber, focusing on the open window. She calculated the jump, sped up-

Slammed into the ground as a searing pain licked her ankle. She crashed into the wall, and Azula stepped into the room, staring down at her. "You just couldn't listen to me, could you? Now, look what you've done. Two people dead and we hadn't even had dessert yet." She ducked, dodging Katara's water whip and evaporating it with a swift slice. "Counting all the people you've inadvertently killed by trying to find him, I could be completely justified in killing you right now."

Katara glared up at her hatefully. "Then why don't you, Azula? Why keep me alive when all I'm going to do is reveal what an evil, deplorable person you are for murdering your own brother? I'm not responsible for those deaths. You are."

"I didn't kill Zuko!" Azula shrieked, and Katara screamed right back.

"Then how did he die?!" she demanded, and Azula smirked down at her, opening her mouth. "Tell the truth, Azula. You know you can't fool me anymore. You know that I can tell when you're not." Saying the words out loud made them true, and her golden eyes widened infinitesimally. For one endless moment, Katara saw right into her head- felt her panic as she tried to regain her composure, knew she was scrambling for an answer, and was coming up with nothing.

The realization didn't come at her like a wave, and it didn't creep into her like a parasite, draining her energy and will. No, this epiphany was just a very swift inkling of light, and hope, a door opening into a future she'd locked away in the depths of her heart. It couldn't be true, but she already knew that somehow, it was.

"Zuko's alive?" she breathed, and Azula's face turned stony, murderous.

"I was going to let you live so that you could lead me to him, but you've made more leaps than I'd originally thought. No matter- it won't be long now until he's dead for good," she said quietly, and ignited her right hand, clawing the flames, building their intensity until they were burning her eyes just by looking at them. "I don't need you, after all," she concluded, and sprang forward just as Katara launched a knife into the air.

She yelled in pain as Katara rolled away from the heat, covering her head, barely having time to see Azula's stricken face and bloody shoulder before she hauled herself up and out of the window. She landed in the garden, snapping a branch off of one of the red trees, sucking all the water from it just in time to counter a blast of blue fire. Then, with a battle cry worthy of a seasoned warrior, Katara drew everything out- the dew from the grass, the water from the little fountain, ruining the entire garden in one fell swoop. The huge wave of water surged behind her, then around her, before her. She yanked Azula towards her with a water tentacle, suspending her inside the water, freezing it solid around her neck, pressing harder, harder, _harder-_

"_Glad to see that you've collared your dog…"_

"Collar this, Princess," she hissed, knowing Azula could hear her, or at least read her lips, and then she turned it all to ice and fled, out of the garden, beyond the gate, over the wall and back to the library, taking the quickest but most bizarre route she could think of to shake off anyone tailing her. She tried to forget Tenji's bulging eyes, Ji Lou's charred body still clutching the instruments of his last courageous act. She knew he'd bought her valuable time, possibly even took the lightning that was meant for her- it struck her like a sack of bricks that this was the second time it had happened, and she vowed as she ran that she would never let it happen again.

She knew Azula would have melted the water as soon as she'd relinquished control of it, and as much as she hated to admit it, she realized she'd sprung the worst trap possible. Now that she'd been accused of murdering Lord Tenji, she knew she would have no peace in Caldera. Every movement would be done in darkness, and Lani was no safer here than she'd been with her kidnappers- she had to get her out as soon as possible.

Katara jogged through an alley, her skirt in tatters, her hair coming undone in the humid air, feeling more alive and hopeful than she had since Zuko's funeral. He was alive, he was out there somewhere, and she could find him. She knew it. It could all be over, and everything that had been could be once more. It was dizzying, electrifying, to hope after it had been forbidden for so long. Tears of joy and relief cascaded down her cheeks as she gazed up at the moon in the night sky.

"Zuko, I'm coming. Hold on," she whispered, the night air carrying her words away from her, taking with them the hope that he'd hear her somehow.

And way out in the distant darkness, a man raised his face to the moon, remembering for the first time in a long time that he had somewhere important to be, and someone important to meet there.

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><p><strong>Muahahahahahahahaaaaaaa!<strong>

**nephertiri- thanks again for the inspiration! I hope you don't mind me using that concept, especially for Azula instead of Katara, but it was just too good to pass up!**

**Review :)**


	25. Reunion

**Flame me all you want, because I probably deserve it. Sorry everyone! There's really no excuse for my long absence, other than the loss of my Toshiba and the workings of daily life and reality. But now, I have a wonderful MacBook Pro and a renewed vigor for writing!**

**Thank you to all who have not lost hope. I do this for you.**

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><p>Chapter Twenty-Five<p>

Reunion

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><p>She slid open the library door, glancing to both sides. All was quiet, but that didn't necessarily mean she trusted it. Her shoe scuffed the floor, and she removed them immediately, Azula's threats lingering in her mind. The lamps were no longer lit in the front room, and the bookshelves suddenly felt like watchful giants, impossibly aware of her lone figure. Katara stepped into the room and tiptoed down the rows, past the front desk, her heart rate increasing with each step. What if she was too late? What if Lani was already hidden away somewhere, alone and scared and in terrible danger? Sweat dripped down her spine, causing a shudder to wrack her body.<p>

A dim flicker of light caught her eye, and she walked towards the reference desk without hesitation. A curtain rippled behind the desk, and the sliver of light shone again from behind it. "Hello?" she called, and heard hushed whispers just beyond the doorway. Steps clicked their way over, and the curtain was thrust back. The librarian looked out at her with fearful eyes and tight lips, then grabbed her by the shoulder and hauled her inside the room before she could say a word.

"Mama!" A small bundle of energy collided with her, and little arms wrapped tightly around her waist, knocking the breath out of her. "Make Taka-san let them out, she won't listen to me! I didn't know what to do, she wouldn't-"

"Slow down, what?!" Katara demanded incredulously, and Taka frowned, putting one hand on her hip. Katara took in her surroundings- they were in a back room, obviously, and scrolls littered the floor and cluttered the desk. A mat lay in the corner of the room, and next to it was a thick wooden door with three chairs stacked in front of it. "What happened?" she asked again.

"Two people came in, claiming to know you, saying they could take Lani. Of course I didn't let them," she added hastily, seeing Katara's expression, and raised her other hand. The waterbender stared in surprise for a moment.

"Have you had that club this entire time?" she asked skeptically. Taka grinned toothily and nodded, then set it against the wall. Spikes jutted from the top, glinting dangerously in the dim orange light emanating from the lamp. The room had a general feeling of disuse, but there was an energy brought into it that made the hairs on the back of her neck stand up. Someone had already come for Lani. She could've been too late.

"I wasn't going to let them take your little girl, not without your say. So, I locked them in the cupboard. Haven't heard much out of them since, to be honest."

"Mama, it's Aang!" Lani erupted, throwing her hands up in exasperation. "It's Aang, he came to get me! He's back!" Katara gaped wordlessly at the old woman for a moment, then lunged past her and shoved the chairs out of the way.

"Aang?" she called, and heard muffled shouts. "Aang, is it you?"

"Katara!" came the muted reply, "Glad you're back. Does she still have the club?"

Katara rolled her eyes. Knowing Aang, he wouldn't ever attack an old woman. He'd probably just strolled into the cupboard like a child caught out of bed, all to avoid a fight. "Hold on! I'll get you out!" She turned back to the librarian. "Can you get the keys?" The woman hesitated, still staring suspiciously at the door.

"How do you know it's the real person? And if it is, how would he know where Lani was? And who's the lady with him?" She had a certain sort of intuition, but Katara had no words to describe the feeling. After spending months together, alone apart from Sokka and Toph, she knew she could pick Aang's voice and energy out of a thousand people. Still, she found herself unable to answer any of the questions, and the librarian smiled smugly. Katara just shook her head.

"I know it's him. He has giant arrows on his head and limbs, he dresses like a monk, and he's the only one I know who would let himself be locked in a closet by a crazy old lady wielding a club."

"The arrows could be fake. And what about the lady?" Katara didn't answer. She just stared her down. Taka huffed, then reached into her sleeve and tossed the waterbender a ring of keys. "It's the big bronze one with the fire lily on the end. Don't blame me for trying to protect the little one."

Katara was already fumbling to find the right key and release her friend when a pang of guilt stilled her shaking hands, and for the first time since the failed ball, she realized just how much this woman had put on the line. Everyone else who'd tried to help was either dead or worse for wear. She'd just tried to do what Katara had asked, and like a fool, she'd responded rudely. "I'm sorry if I sound ungrateful. You don't even know how thankful I am that you were so careful. It's just… it's been a really long night."

"Went to the ball, couldn't face the music?" she asked critically. Katara smiled wanly and shrugged, finding the key and fitting it into the lock.

"Something like that," she agreed softly. The locks tumbled, and she swung open the door, stepping back just as Aang catapulted out, blowing the loose papers around the room with the power of his energy. She was struck again by how much he'd grown, and as he turned to beam at her, she noticed the smooth cut of his jawline that surely hadn't been so defined a few weeks ago.

"Katara!" he yelled, and scooped her into a hug, swirling her around and even hovering for a moment before setting her down and stepping back with a huge grin on his face. "Finally! Are you okay?"

"I should be asking you that! I went back to the healer, and she said- wait," she interrupted herself, thinking back to her encounter with the medicine woman, "she said someone…?"

Her voice trailed off as a woman stepped out of the dark cupboard, a shy smile on her face. Dark brown hair framed a porcelain face with noble features, and Katara felt Aang fidget, then tense beside her. She glanced at him, and was astounded by the look on his face. When had he ever looked at anyone so tenderly? With such insecure longing carved into the furrow of his brow? She recognized the look then, remembering it from the raid on the Day of Black Sun, but there were new undertones which seemed to grow from his new maturity. Strength, the need to protect, a willingness to understand… it showed clearly on his face as if his emotions were lotuses floating in a clear pond.

And yet, there was something telling her he had no idea how he really felt about the woman. He'd always been oblivious about that sort of thing.

Then, the woman tucked her hair behind her ear and gave her surroundings a quick, curious glance, and pieces came together. "On Ji?" she asked. On Ji giggled and nodded, touching her hair hesitantly.

"I didn't think you'd recognize me. It's been so long," she said, and went to Aang's side. He shifted his weight, almost imperceptibly, so that he was leaning into her, and as a result, her cheeks flushed and she relaxed, doing the same.

"Oh," Katara breathed, realizing too late that she'd said it out loud. But it was clear, the connection between the two of them. It was natural, and for a moment, she felt a deep sense of loss. Had it really been so long ago- over three years- that he'd looked at her that way? But no, she stopped herself right there. They'd been children back then, and it had been puppy love. This was something entirely different- it was a balance, like day and night, or-

She gasped. Or water and fire.

"Aang! Aang, Zuko's alive!" she cried, and the room stilled. Even the flickering light of the lamp seemed to shrink away from the living, breathing statues that now inhabited the room. The airbender was staring straight ahead, his shoulders stiff and his mouth hanging open, nothing moving but his trembling hands. Katara gazed around the room, seeing expressions ranging from disbelief to horror. Aang shook his head, opening his mouth several times before any sound came out.

"But Katara… he's… it isn't possible," he finished lamely. Lani looked between them, unusually serious, reacting to the sudden change in the air pressure. "Zuko died two years ago. Do you really think that if he was alive, this would be happening? He'd have taken the Fire Nation back by now."

"No, he's alive," she said hurriedly, "Azula admitted it before- well, it's too long to tell you right now. We're not safe in Caldera, she has people watching me. We have to leave." She glanced at Taka, who shrugged. She'd already imposed so much without being able to repay the old bat, but she knew the world beyond the library's walls was much harsher than this lonely room.

"Stay here as long as you like, I'll keep an eye out. Anyone care for some pickled plums on rice? I kept you guys in there pretty long," she said somewhat sheepishly to On Ji, who smiled and nodded. "Alright then. Come with me, child," she said to Lani, and the girl waited for Katara's nod before leaving the room. A suffocating silence swelled up between them, and Katara noticed her body beginning to ache.

"Tell me how you got here and everything," she demanded, "the last thing I knew, you were still at the healer's place. How did you find Lani so quickly?" The waterbender tried to kneel gracefully, but her skirt got in the way, so she just sighed and slumped down, ignoring the familiar sound of ripping fabric. On Ji knelt down easily in her simple clothing, and Aang sat closely next to her.

"Well, when I left the Air Temples about a year ago to come find you, I really had no idea what I was walking into, or what I was leaving behind. Everything is still in transition there- we have new people arriving every day, most of them being refugees whose homes were destroyed by the war. They don't have any sense of belonging, so they come to us for peace and safety," Aang started, and On Ji nodded, again tucking her hair behind her ear so she could focus on Katara's eyes.

"He came back about two months ago for a while, but then he left about two days before your brother showed up," she said softly, and Katara let out a breath, unprepared for the brute force of her longing. Sokka. It had been so long.

"Why was Sokka at the temples?" she asked, and On Ji's face sagged into an expression of regret. "Tell me," Katara persisted. Aang's knee brushed the girl's leg, and she sat up straighter.

"He'd been staying in Kyoshi so he could act as a go-between from the Southern Water Tribe to the Fire Nation because of a trade agreement. He took over your position as ambassador when you disappeared, and apparently he was in charge of the distribution of the skins, furs and beads that are popular down in the southern region of the Fire Nation. The nobility there are all pretty liberal, and they operate under a separate set of values than the main lands."

"Meaning they don't think that all Water Tribe people are scum," Aang added. Katara nodded in acknowledgment and On Ji continued.

"He received a letter from Hakoda saying the trade didn't go through. The Water Tribe was supposed to receive steel for hunting weapons and reinforcing, and some other things. They were told to return to their own land when they came to port, and that the area was under new control and the nobles were under house arrest. It was a three week long journey for nothing, so naturally, Sokka tried to find out what happened. That was about a month and a half ago." Katar's mouth had dropped open, and she was overtaken by images and memories from her childhood. The igloos, the bone instruments- they were traditional, yes, but she knew the tribe could use some new materials to sustain them. The ports were supposed to be open to trade- why had they been turned away?

"Sokka tried to get into Caldera- I think he was probably hoping to find you, as well- but again, he was turned away. He waited for a few days, but the guards at the borders told him the Fire Lord was unavailable, on a trip that would take a few months."

"But that's not true. I just saw her tonight!" Katara interrupted. Aang nodded, and On Ji looked very serious.

"We know. Sokka came to us after that, hoping he could get in to see Azula with Aang, so I got everything together and set out with him. I didn't exactly know where Aang was though, because the last time I'd gotten a letter from him, he was on Ember Island looking through records." Aang interrupted her again, as they'd been doing the whole time, and Katara found herself wondering if they even knew they were doing it.

"Remember, I told you about that the first time I came to see you. Then Iroh got the letter from your old house in Caldera, so I came here. Remember?"

"Yes," she said, and On Ji went back to her story, leaning into Aang and letting her hand fall on top of his when she scooted closer to him.

"We travelled from Ember Island to the outskirts of Caldera, following mentions of the Avatar, and that was when Sokka got another letter from Hakoda saying there was a problem with the trade agreement, and that it was put on hold. Hakoda checked with other outlying sources, and apparently, Azula's been cutting off supplies to the war zones she is supposed to be rebuilding. We snuck into the city a couple weeks ago, and we've been looking for everyone since."

"Wait," Katara stopped her. "You're telling me that Sokka is in the city? My brother's here?" Her heart pounded, full of joy and love, poisoned by the sudden dread that filled her body.

It was Aang's eyes that did it. He'd never been able to keep the truth from her for long, and at least that much hadn't changed. "Katara… he went to see Azula. Demanded to know where you were, and why the trade agreements fell through, or at least that's what we think. He never came back from the palace."

Her world tilted like ice floating on water, and she plunged into icy disbelief, unable to move. His face, still young and baby-cheeked, hovered along the edge of her vision. His voice wrapped haunting arms around her chest and squeezed so that she couldn't breathe, and for a moment, everything turned red.

"She took Sokka?" she asked flatly. She thought back to the party, how Azula had been so confident, so easygoing. It wasn't an act- she really did have the upper hand. And Katara had walked right into that trap, blown it sky-high. "No," she moaned, "no." _After everything I did tonight… she could've gone right back to the palace and…_

"Katara!" On Ji sprang forward and grabbed her just as she began to veer to one side, hardly able to feel anything. "I'm so sorry, Katara. I went to find Aang, and he said he was going to the palace… I let my feelings get in the way. I should've gone with him, it's my fault."

"No," Katara barked harshly, and the other woman's eyebrows shot up. "I'm sorry," Katara apologized immediately, "but no. Sokka knew the risks, and he knew what he was doing. We just… we need to find him. How long ago was that?"

The answer was swift, and crippling. "Four days. We've been searching for news, and for ways to get into the palace, but we haven't found anything yet. He just disappeared." Katara got up and started pacing, rubbing her hand up and down her thigh to quell the needles of pain from sitting too long. She needed to find her brother. She needed to find Zuko, she needed to protect Lani, she needed to think of how to save her tribe from the harsh winter ahead. She could feel her knees buckling under the weight of being who she was, but she knew she'd never again wish she was anyone else.

"We'll find a way in. I have someone- well, he's an expert in being secretive and he knows this city like the back of his hand. I'll ask him." Aang didn't look convinced, and Katara lost her patience, rounding on him. "What are you looking at me like that for? You know I can do this, Aang, and you have to know there's no way to keep me from trying. You're either in or out."

"Katara, you know I love Sokka too!" he protested immediately, vaulting himself up with a small burst of wind. "I'll do anything to get him back! But- well, it's Azula. She's dangerous. We don't know anything about why she's doing this, or what she's planning."

"Then we'll find out! Look, we need to save Sokka, and then we'll all find Zuko. He'll make it right, I know he will." There came that look again- doubtful, as if she was a raving lunatic. A light erupted in the back of her mind, and Katara stopped short, staring intently at Aang. He fidgeted under her gaze, obviously uncomfortable. "You don't believe me, do you?" she asked.

Aang blushed, and On Ji stood up quietly. "I'll go check on the tea and pickled plums," she murmured, and gave Katara a kind smile as she left the room. The two old friends stood facing each other like fighters, sizing each other up. Aang struck first, contrary to his personality.

"Azula told you Zuko was still alive. What if she lied?"

Katara gritted her teeth. It would be impossible to explain. "She wasn't lying. It was more of a slip-up than anything else. She was trying to tell me to give up, knowing I would do the exact opposite, and she let it slip."

"Katara, she already has your brother. She's sending you on a fruitless chase to buy more time with Sokka! He can already be held over your head, just like Lani… just like Zuko," he added softly. Katara gaped at him, unwilling to believe he'd just said that. Azula, telling her Zuko was alive so she'd be focused on finding him instead of her own brother?

Then again, this was Azula. She didn't know what family was. For all she knew, it was normal for a sister to forsake a brother. Bitch.

"Aang… I know it's hard to believe. I know I sound crazy, but there's just this feeling. I had to know what happened to him, then I had to find out who did it. Now, there's this small hope that all this was for a good purpose. I can't give that up." Tears clogged her throat as she finally admitted this weakness, and she shut her eyes, trying to regain composure.

She heard soft footsteps, and then Aang sighed, his breath hitting her forehead. "Katara," he muttered, and wound his long arms around her. She let him hold her for a moment without thinking, and when she finally put her arms back around him, she realized something was different. There was nothing else to the embrace but comfort, a sort of brotherly love. "Do you really believe that?"

"Yes," she sniffed. He drew back, keeping hold of her arms so she'd look him in the eyes. The Avatar grinned gently and wiped her cheek with the back of one finger, and she coughed out a laugh. "Oh, Aang," she sighed, "when did you get so old?"

His eyes softened, and he glanced down. "I guess it had to happen sometime, right?" he said. They stood quietly for a moment, and she felt a last little jolt of panic. This was it, then? The end of childhood, of riding penguins and telling ghost stories at campfires. This was the end of not knowing themselves well enough to love, of those first confused kisses. She wanted to scream for time to wait, so she could run back and do it all one more time to cherish every second she'd wasted.

Then, the desperation was gone, leaving two tired people in its wake with no idea of what the other had just gone through.

"Yeah, I guess it did," she whispered back.

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><p><strong>The end. Kidding! Haha… ha. Sorry. Well, I'm going to go write the next few chapters, so hopefully I'll get some good feedback on this and see where it goes <strong>** review, please and thank you!**


	26. Into the Caves

**Took longer than expected- had to work out some plot points. Rest assured, it might seem slow now, but very soon things will begin to come together **** review!**

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><p>Chapter Twenty-Six<p>

Into the Caves

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><p>After another moment, Aang leaned back and broke the intimacy between them. Katara blinked, then let out her breath, relieved that their sense of camreaderie was still intact after all this time. She shook her head and turned away slightly, ready to figure out the next step now that she knew Aang would support her. He rubbed his eyes with one hand, obviously tired, and she remembered something from earlier that hadn't yet been explained.<p>

"So how did you find Lani, anyways?" she wondered aloud. Aang's eyes softened as he glanced down, and he smiled.

"That was On Ji. She had a friend from the Academy who went on to become a palace guard. See, we figured that you were either not in Caldera or in hiding, so if it was the second option, we knew we'd need someone who's familiar with the chain of command around here. We found out from him that there was a large task force devoted to reconnaissance, and that you were on the 'Watch' list. She got him to give her a list of the guards set to follow you. We've been trying to keep tabs on them, hoping they'd lead to you."

"That's smart," she said, a hint of shock coloring her tone. On Ji was nice and all, but she hadn't thought the younger woman wanted anything to do with Katara's troubles.

"Yeah. Earlier today we were following these two guys, and they saw you going into a salon. I was going to sneak in and find you, but before I could do that, we were discovered. We led them away from you and lost them in the Upper Ring, but by the time we went back to the salon, you weren't there. Some crazy old lady told me to check in at the library, so that's what we did… I saw Lani as soon as I stepped inside, but she didn't see me. I asked Takagaru- er, Tanakasagu- whatever her name is- to see her, and she went a little crazy."

"She didn't actually use the club, did she?" Katara asked, and the look on Aang's face was enough of an answer. "Sorry," she groaned. Aang chuckled lightly.

"No big deal. She caught me in the shins a couple times, but it wasn't like I was going to actually fight back, you know? I just tried to keep everyone calm. If me being in the closet was the way to do that, I had a civic duty to allow myself to be locked in a cellar." Katara laughed and nudged him so that he knew she recognized the joke. He grinned too. "It wasn't so bad," he finished, "gave me a little more time to catch up with On Ji and figure some things out."

"So, you and On Ji?" she asked with a wry smile, and he blinked, confused.

"What about us?" he asked. She stared at him for a second, not sure if he was joking or not, then shrugged and folded her arms across her chest.

"Oh, just that you-"

"_No!"_ Katara froze as the ground rumbled, her blood screeching to a halt as Lani's scream filled the air. She bolted out of the room, Aang on her heels, and they stepped into chaos. Papers and scrolls fluttered through the air as the old librarian cowered near the front entrance.

"They're outside!" she screeched, and Katara launched herself at the woman, shoving her to the side just as the doors bulged inwards, being attacked from outside.

"Hide, now!" Katara ordered her, shoving her unceremoniously under the desk, then swiveling around, trying to see her daughter. The doors blew open and flames knocked her over, the heat hitting her with enough force to send her flying. She sat up, spitting rubble from her mouth and saw armored men clamoring at the entrance like cruel black bugs. Suddenly, On Ji ran past them towards the back of the library as men spilled in the main entrance. She had Lani in her arms, hunching to protect the small body she was fleeing with.

"Aang, come on!" she screamed as she passed them, and Katara tore after her, her fingers desperately searching for water. There was a bit left in her pack- not enough to cover their exit. Aang flanked her, and jets of fire singed their heels as they sprinted for the end row of books.

"Go on!" he bellowed, and stopped running. Katara's heart dropped and she looked over her shoulder, watching him swerve to the left and plant his feet widely. A moment later, an earsplitting crack shattered the air, and a rock wall shot up from the ground and pushed forward. He turned back around and lurched forward, once again running next to her. The gang flung themselves sideways, running down a row of scrolls as smoke filled the air. Lani stared over On Ji's shoulder into Katara's eyes, like two lights leading her forward, pushing her through. Her small face was bewildered, and she clutched On Ji's shirt tightly. The only light left in the building came from a small window through which the moon shone brightly. It was a beacon, a sign, and she trusted it immediately.

Katara shot herself forward, focusing on the window at the end of the corridor. It was too small to get through without considerable time, of which they had none. She'd have to use force. "Follow me, straight line!" she shouted, and brought a wall of ice up in front of them, thin enough to look through, hardy enough to sustain what was about to happen. She leaped up and threw her arms forward with a yell, smashing the ice through the window and following through it into the humid night air. She couldn't hear anything yet, so she looked back. On Ji was just pulling herself through the window, and Lani was running full tilt towards Katara. The waterbender scooped her up roughly, not wanting to lose momentum, and started running again, dodging down the street with the girl bouncing on her hip.

They were being followed. She could hear the extra footsteps, and Aang once again turned to fight, giving them time to escape. Katara hesitated briefly- run straight so he could catch up in a moment, or disappear inside the city? A bolt of fire lashed at her, making Lani scream, and she made up her mind, veering into an alley and pulling old gutter water out of the street to lift her feet up and push her onto a rooftop. She set Lani down and reached down for On Ji, who'd lost a bit of momentum at the turn. The girl launched herself into the air, catching Katara's hand just long enough to plant her feet against the wall in a surprising move and push off, swinging up next to Katara as she hauled them both safely onto the roof.

"Thanks," On Ji gasped, and then they were back up and running, Lani now on Katara's back, On Ji protecting the rear. The roof tiles were slippery and sideways, but she couldn't afford to slip, not with Lani there. Katara ran doggedly, heaving, her sides stitched. One more rooftop. Two more. Down onto the street, back into the alley when guards jogged past. Lani didn't make one sound the entire time, and Katara gazed around for a path of action.

"Cave… outside of Caldera. If you can get me to the border, I can get us out and safe," On Ji wheezed, and Katara nodded, then readjusted her grip on Lani and led the way. The women stuck to the shadows, speaking with their eyes and fingers, pointing, halting, urging. Aang still hadn't returned, and On Ji looked over her shoulder every few moments, her eyes concerned. In five long minutes, they were at the outskirts of the Upper Ring, right along the border, running parallel to the wall.

She couldn't believe that just hours earlier, she'd been on her way to a ball within those gates. Within that world that would never be hers again. She was no longer an ambassador, a Water Tribe princess, a friend and consultant of the Fire Lord. She was a selfish woman who was unwilling to let go and it was going to stay that way until she was vindicated.

They reached the border wall in a few more minutes, both of the women faltering in their steps by then. "Just up here," Katara rasped. On Ji nodded and wiped her hair out of her face, then vaulted onto the crumbling wall in another acrobatic move like she'd pulled on the roof. Katara set Lani down and knelt next to her. On Ji reached down, and Katara grabbed Lani by the shoulders, forcing the child to look at her.

"Trust me?" she asked. Lani nodded without hesitation. Katara put her hands down, Lani stuck her small foot in the grasp and clutched Katara's shoulders. Katara glanced up and saw determination in every line of On Ji's face, and a knowing silence passed between them. On Ji could be trusted for this, without a doubt.

Katara burst up and pitched Lani into the air, the girl pushing off her grasp just in time, reaching wildly above her. On Ji caught her by the sleeve, and used both hands to haul her up safely as Katara sprang up and caught the edge of the wall. She could feel her shoulders screaming in protest, but they were so close, so near to freedom. They'd almost made it- she could slow down, stop, sleep for hours on end once this was over. But then, On Ji's face snapped up, and her eyes widened in horror. "Come on, Katara!" she urged, and Lani screamed her name as Katara looked over her shoulder, hanging from the wall.

Four guards careened towards them, shouting, waving their arms. They were already too close to the border to be followed anymore. There wasn't even a choice, only a course of action. Her throat closed for a minute, and she looked back to where On Ji and Lani knelt, looking into her face. On Ji grabbed Katara's arm and started pulling her up, but she resisted.

"No, On Ji, let go! Lani- _listen to me-_ Lani, I love you. Go with On Ji, I swear I'll come after," she said hurriedly, and dropped from the wall, releasing her grip and pulling her arms up, water rising from the ground and the trees to answer her call.

"No! Mama, no, _no_!" Lani's scream cut through her, but she didn't have time to think, to hope On Ji would take the hint and keep going. They were coming at her quickly, already winding up, collecting themselves. She couldn't let them hit first- Lani was too close.

She formed needles. Her hands became claws, and a vision of a scarred old oak tree falling to the ground filled her thoughts. She raked her hands in front of her, and the needles whistled forward, thunking as they hit. The men cried in pain and rage, two still coming, and she stepped forward, punching through the air to send a blast of water to douse the fire. They sent more flames her way and she rolled, scraping her hands on the loose gravel, then springing up in a crouch. She let a feral snarl rip from her lips and launched herself forward, colliding with one guard with a clank of metal and a hiss of steam.

She wrapped her arms around his forehead and his jaw, using his weight against him, and rolled beneath him, his back to her front. The other guard shouted and stepped forward- too late. She wrenched with a growl, felt the crunch and snap of breaking bones, and the man stopped struggling in her grip. She flashed up and flung herself to the side as fire singed the hem of her dress.

She felt the water respond beneath her hand, and she sucked it from the moss and the grass, forming it into a long, lethal needle and flinging it at the last guard. He ducked, avoiding the weapon, and fell onto her, his knee crushing her left wrist as she let out a cry of pain. He grasped wildly for her right arm, and she bucked at him, struggling wildly.

"Gotcha!" he grunted triumphantly, his grubby fingers wrapping around her. He leered down at her, panting with exertion. "Didn't expect that, did you?" he asked. Katara glared up at him, hate emanating from every bone in her body. He seemed to realize what she was going to do before she did it. Katara's arm flexed, and his breath caught. Then, she flicked her finger, and the man's eyes bulged.

"Gotcha," she breathed up at him. His fingers slackened, and trembling, went to his throat, where the needle had pierced him from behind at her command. Something she'd learned from Toph; keeping hold over a weapon that wasn't thought to be dangerous anymore. It had fooled her during sparring practice more times that she'd cared to admit, but the technique had its uses. The man made an awful gurgling sound, tasting blood on the back of his own tongue, and she shoved him off of her, standing above him, checking for survivors before kneeling back down by him.

"Didn't expect that, did you?" she asked him quietly. His eyes widened even more, and he coughed, blood spattering her cheek. Katara straightened up as soon as the light left his eyes, surveying the area around her. Then, she sighed and walked to the wall, pulling herself up and over, searching for her group in the darkness.

Her feet sunk in the muck on the hillside, and she fell forward, grasping at the weeds to stay balanced and to keep herself from rolling down the hill. She craned her neck, looking for any glimmer of light before her, but saw nothing except darkness. She didn't dare yell, knowing she was still too close to the borders. She hunched over and ran like that, wiping her dirty hands on her dress and wishing for a moment that the thing could've stayed beautiful and delicate. It was a gorgeous dress, and it was completely unsuitable for fleeing.

"Katara!" She shouted in surprise and fell back as Aang landed right in front of her, the rock platform he'd been hovering with crumbling beneath his feet. He helped her up, looking her over with a worried expression, and she smiled at him, as much of a reaction as she could handle.

"I'm fine, I'm fine. I had to stay behind too, and On Ji went ahead with Lani. Are you okay?" she asked, noticing how he clutched one shoulder.

"Fine," he replied, and sighed, glancing around them. "Look," he said, pointing over her shoulder. Katara turned, seeing an orange glow among the smattering of lights that was Caldera. "Once I got rid of those guys, I went back to the library. The librarian is fine, by the way- she's going to go stay with her sisters, apparently. They've burned the entire thing to the ground. None of the townspeople know why, but they're really angry. Honestly, this was their catalyst." Katara raised her eyebrows, and he went on.

"The common people never wanted Azula as a leader. They're scared, so they're doing what they need to survive, but tonight, I heard more Azula-bashing than we ever got around to in the old days. They're fed up, and finally everyone's showing it."

Katara didn't answer, not knowing what to say. She sighed and leaned against her best friend, who wrapped one comforting arm around her. They watched the skies for a while, neither one speaking or looking at the blazing building in the distance. Then, she looked up at him. He'd aged so much, but it was nice to know some things never changed- his wonder for the world, the pain he felt in others' suffering.

"Come on," she said, "let's get your arm all healed. Lead the way to the cave, Mr. Avatar."

"Hold on," he said, squinting at her. He cocked his head to one side. "Is that blood?" he asked, gazing at her cheek. She touched her face and felt small spots of dried, cracking blood. _Didn't expect that, did you?_ She shuddered at the memory of her own voice, then wiped her face as well as she could, wishing she could forget the milky, hollow eyes of those dead men.

As soon as they entered the mouth of the cave, Lani was up and running to Katara. Katara smiled and swung the girl up in her arms, only able to hold her for a moment before her arms started shaking. Lani burrowed her tear-stained face in Katara's neck. "I was so scared," she whispered. "It hurt, Mama."

Knowing she was talking about the jolting run from the library, Katara squeezed her and kissed her cheek. "I know, honey. I'm sorry. Are you okay?" Lani was about to answer when On Ji stood up, her eyes wide, her chin trembling. As the waterbender set the child down and went to sit by the small fire, warming her muddy feet, she watched On Ji stride forward and throw herself into Aang's arms, her shoulders shaking. It struck Katara suddenly that some women weren't used to watching their men go off to do battle, that they couldn't bear the thought of separation, not knowing what was happening.

She'd spent so long in that state that she didn't even notice anymore. What kind of person did that make her?

"Shh, I'm okay, I'm okay," Aang said soothingly, stroking On Ji's hair. She clutched his chest and burrowed her face into his shoulder in the same way Lani did with Katara. He gazed over her head, solemn and tired, pressing his cheek into the top of her head, rubbing small circles between her shoulders.

On Ji drew back, traced his jaw. "I was so scared," she said, her tremulous voice carrying over to where they sat. Lani gasped quietly and looked up at Katara, something foreign and wise in her young eyes. Katara reached for her hand and smiled, trying to let her know everything would be okay. People would be missed, and their loved ones would wait. It was a natural pattern on life, one that rang true for everyone.

"I know. I'm sorry," Aang said softly.

Once they were all sitting by the fire, On Ji tucked safely up under Aang's arm, Katara told them about her journey to get Lani back, returning to find the invitation, and going to the party. Lani petted the dragon on her tattered dress and occasionally cocked her head to one side, confused by the conversation. Katara hesitated to talk about the poisoning of Lord Tenji and the ensuing disaster, but she had no choice. There wasn't time to waste.

"So she poisoned Lord Tenji and blamed it on you? Vicious brat," On Ji huffed. She leaned against Aang, who winced and gently moved away. On Ji looked at his shoulder, seeming to just notice the burn. "When did that happen?" she asked, surprised. He shrugged, but Katara was already wrinkling her nose at the shiny, blistered skin.

"Come here, Aang, I'll take care of it." He got up and walked over, and just then, she realized who was missing. "Wait- where's Appa? Did you bring him?" Aang sat down and she pulled water from a pot next to the fire.

"I flew him here, but then I sent him back. He's too noticeable, you know? Hard to hide." She chuckled, and he grinned innocently.

"Really? Appa doesn't blend in? I wouldn't have ever thought," she teased, and her hand began to glow blue. "Now stop making jokes and let me heal you." Lani watched in fascination as Katara brought her hand to his shoulder, running the cool water over his skin, lifting away the dead cells, encouraging the skin to grow and cover the burn. Once she was done, Lani scooted closer and poked the new pink skin.

"Wow," she breathed, then looked at Katara and smiled hopefully. "Me next, mama?" Katara halted, confused, and her breath caught as Lani pulled up the hem of her little dress to reveal a long, irritated burn on her left thigh. Aang and On Ji stilled, staring down at the mark. For a long moment, no one moved, no one spoke. No one breathed.

Someone had burned her baby. She'd let it happen.

"Katara?" On Ji put her hand on the waterbender's shoulder as she sagged forward and stared at the ground, waves of regret and horror pounding her into the dirt. Someone had burned her baby. She'd let it happen. That innocent little girl, caught in the middle of all this madness, hadn't said one word about it. She'd been crying the whole time, burning the whole time- "_It hurts,_" she'd said. Why hadn't she listened?

"I'm sorry, baby," Katara crooned, sitting up and throwing her arms around Lani's small shoulders. "I'm so sorry, I didn't know. Oh, honey- I'll fix it. Come here, sit down." Aang and On Ji stepped back as Katara let Lani climb onto her lap, trying to ignore the ranting voices in her head. Her hands shook badly as she pulled water to her, and Lani gazed up at her with trust radiating from her small brown irises.

Someone had burned her baby. She'd let it happen.

Water glowed blue, and she poured all the love and strength in her world into the healing, stroking Lani's forehead until she stilled, until the little girl stopped grimacing. It didn't take long, and then she cradled her daughter, ignoring the numbness in her legs and rocking back and forth, the weight of Lani's body reassuring. She stayed there until the girl was asleep, murmuring comforting things and whispering into her hair, rocking herself into a sort of trance while she was at it. Memories faded, her body faded, and all that was left was this vivid blue light encasing the little family. She knew this is what she wanted, that Lani was enough. So why couldn't she just take the little girl and leave?

Blue. Zuko. Aang, still trying to fix the world. And lastly, most importantly, Sokka.

"Oh, honey, I'm so sorry," she murmured again. She thought of her brother, the man he'd become. Would he be sitting awake, stolid and somber, thinking of his family and his duties? Or would he be defiant, rattling the bars of his cage and demanding to be set free? She didn't know. How could she, when she hadn't seen her brother in so long?

Katara was vaguely aware of leaning back and to the left, of Lani's weight rolling from her lap to her side. She lay down and her eyelids fluttered closed. What was the song that Lani had sung so long ago? Little flowers on the hill, always moving, never still… she couldn't remember the rest. Katara hummed it to herself, lulled by the warmth of the fire and the reassuring heaviness next to her.

That night, when she dreamed, she dreamt of the old days. It wasn't a memory, and the images carried no significance. But they were on a hill. Blades of grass whispered along her calves and little clouds disappeared into golden mist as they passed in front of a sun. And there they were- Sokka and her father, sitting on her right, gazing into the sea beyond their little perch. Hakoda was still in his prime, his blue eyes vibrant and cheerful. He looked over at her, held out his hand.

"Hi, Daddy," Katara whispered, reaching to him. His skin felt solid and dry against hers. He said nothing, but everything about him exuded pride and peace. He squeezed her fingers, and she knew that he was thinking of Kya. Katara looked to Sokka, who stared out at the shining sea. His jaw was still soft, not yet as defined as she knew it would become, and he sat with his arms hooked around his knees. The familiarity of it all made her throat close up.

"I love you, I love you, I love you," she told them. The wind picked up her words and whirled them around, seasoning them with a bitter eastern breeze. Still, her family stayed there, everlastingly tranquil. The wind picked up, tearing her hair from its braid, drowning out her words. She said it anyways, scared that they couldn't hear it, then screamed it, hearing nothing but the rustle of the hurricane around them.

Suddenly Hakoda stood, and Sokka stood with him, both men raising their arms. For a moment, they looked like twin warriors, two heroes of ancient tales arriving for the defining battle of their lives. They broke the wind, shattered it into bits which howled like wolves retreating into the trees. With just that one move, she fell silent, staring in awe at the two men who had shaped her as a child, shown her the meaning of loyalty and love.

Her father knelt by her, his leathery, tanned face breaking into a gentle smile. Katara gazed at him hungrily, needing his presence and his comfort. He searched her eyes for a long while as the sun warmed her face, then turned and sat next to her, groaning a bit as he situated himself. Sokka sat on her left, close enough so that his elbow grazed her arm. She didn't look at either of them after that- she didn't need to. Being close to them, silent and safe, was enough.

"Katara?" It was On Ji again, this time with a sympathetic smile. The cave was bathed in early morning sunlight and nearby, two sleeping mats lay abandoned, close but not touching. Katara met her eye and glanced down at Lani. The girl was sleeping, her heavy head cradled in the crook of Katara's arm, right against her heart.

"Yeah," she croaked back, clearing her throat as quietly as possible. She shifted and held Lani up, moving out from under her and laying her head down on a linen bag On Ji supplied helpfully. On Ji covered her back up with a nearby blanket and straightened up, standing next to Katara.

"She's a beautiful little girl," she offered, and Katara nodded. "And it isn't your fault that she got burned. I… I'm not used to being around children. I didn't even know- I thought she was crying because she missed you." Katara bit back a scathing retort- _why do you voluntarily take the blame for other people's trials?-_ and mentally counted to three. On Ji was just a giving person.

"It's okay, On Ji," she said, and the girl nodded. "We have some things to discuss, though. This changed a lot for me, and I never really got a chance to process everything that happened yesterday. Where's Aang?" she asked then, not seeing him in the cave. On Ji rolled her eyes.

"He said he was going to gather breakfast for himself, because all we have left is salted jerky. Silly vegetarian." Katara laughed at that, surprised at how easy it was to joke around with her.

"I know, right? I once had to carry him back to camp because he ate a handful of mysterious berries, puked on himself, and then went numb and couldn't walk. It took about three days for all of it to get out of his system." On Ji was so shocked that her eyebrows disappeared under her bangs, and Katara nudged her gently. "No one else knows but Sokka, and he can't even make fun of him because of the cactus juice incident."

Just then, Aang strolled into the cave, his shoulder bag sagging. "Happy hunting?" On Ji called, and he groaned.

"All I could find were these weird root things. I tasted one and it burned, so I spat it out and came back. Are you sure we don't have anything but jerky?" Katara chuckled as he started burrowing through their supplies, a line of bags neatly shoved up against the wall of the cave next to their sleeping mats.

"Pretty sure, unless you count that bean-curd stuff we've been using as to seal the canteens," she replied. Aang stilled, then shrugged and dug further into the bag. Once he was settled down with his bean curd, Katara took a deep breath, organizing herself.

"A lot happened yesterday. I'm honestly still tired, and I got a lot of bad news so I'm feeling… lost," she muttered, hating that she was saying the words out loud. But Aang gave her an encouraging smile, and On Ji seemed pretty compassionate. "I feel unable to protect the ones I love, and you know how much that means to me," she directed towards Aang. He acknowledged it with a nod. "I have to keep Lani safe, and to do that, she has to be far away from me, no ties whatsoever." Her claim was met with silence, and she felt her shoulders tense at On Ji's pitying expression.

"You want to send her away again?" Aang asked, his eyes roving over to the little girl's sleeping form. She'd turned to face them, her lips as red as rose petals, her cheeks slack as she explored a world of dreams. Katara's throat tightened, and she nodded, unable to speak. "Where would she be safe?" he asked.

"That's the thing, I don't know. I was thinking maybe of taking her to see Sokka and Suki- she said she wanted to meet them, before all this happened. But now…" her voice trailed off, momentarily lost in all the possibilities.

"Send her to Iroh again," Aang suggested, and Katara wrinkled her nose. He put his hands up, cautioning her to wait as his brow furrowed, an idea clearly forming behind his silvery eyes. "No, really… if you think Zuko is alive, you know he would want to know. And I'd like his advice on what to do in this situation… I'm the peacekeeper. I can't really go barging in on a world leader without just cause. So, get Iroh to come. We can send him a letter asking him to meet us here, and meanwhile we can look for ways to get into the palace unnoticed. I don't know if there's even a way, but-"

"There is," Katara interrupted suddenly, her eyes far away in a memory that felt so long ago. "Ursa told me so, she said that there was a tunnel leading into the palace, from underground I think."

"Like the secret passageways running through most Fire Nation monasteries?" On Ji asked. Katara nodded, remembering natural formations of cooled lava and dark, humid caverns. "Well, most of the times, the openings to secret tunnel systems are within the palace grounds, though hidden from sight. They were probably created as escape routes for the royal family back during the first civil wars."

Seeing Katara's surprised expression, Aang put his arm around On Ji's shoulders. "She's brilliant, Katara. She can navigate, she can sew, and she knows pretty much everything about Fire Nation history- the good parts," he added, "not taught in school." On Ji's cheeks were reddening quickly, and Katara bit back a smile.

"I just… I liked to read a lot when I was younger, because my eldest brother and younger brother were always firebending. They took me with them a bit when I was younger, but when they left for the war…" Katara felt herself nodding in understanding as the girl trailed off, becoming lost for a moment. Then, she gave her head a little shake, and smiled up and the waterbender. "Sorry. But anyways, I was always the smart one in my family. I'm the one who found you," she added with a faint smile.

"Yeah, Aang told me," Katara remembered. "So this contact you have at the palace- do you think he'd be able to sneak us in?" On Ji bit her lip, shaking her head. Katara's face fell, but she hadn't been counting on a yes anyways.

"He already took a huge risk in telling me anything," she explained, "I don't want to endanger him any more than I already have." Katara sighed, wondering how long it'd been since Sokka had seen daylight, thinking about all the places that Zuko could be. It really was too much to tackle on her own. She needed advice, and she needed it quickly.

"Alright," Katara said, looking out at the hillside, the sprawling city of Caldera, and the ocean shining beyond it like a brilliant jewel. "Let's see if Iroh is in the mood for a homecoming."

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><p><strong>Hopefully this was long enough and good enough to satisfy a craving… but I know it's really Zutara that you're all here for. Rest assured, my faithful readers, that your wishes will soon be granted. Review! -Aleina<strong>


	27. The Dragon's Tale

**Thanks for the reviews on the last chapter! Hope this one is good enough for you guys!**

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><p>Chapter Twenty-Seven<p>

The Dragon's Tale

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><p>Katara's hands were beginning to hurt.<p>

She'd been sitting outside the cave for an hour already, and it had been at least two since On Ji had gone down to the port to meet Iroh. Aang was on a quick trip around the city skies. He'd told her it was for reconnaissance, but she secretly thought it was simply because he couldn't bear to sit and wait for On Ji to return without knowing when she'd come back. So Katara had played a bending game with Lani for a while, then roasted a small bird for lunch and eaten it with still no sign of On Ji. She'd gone outside to keep an eye out for movement near the cave and sat, twisting her hands, cracking her knuckles, rubbing her fingers.

She'd been going at it for so long that her skin was beginning to chafe, but she couldn't help it. The anxiety was just getting too heavy for her to ignore.

She'd sent the letter to Iroh eight days ago. It had taken three days for his reply to come by black-ribbon hawk, but the response had been frank and agreeable. He was setting out immediately, it had said, and he hoped he'd be able to help with whatever she needed. Katara had taken that as a good sign, but since Iroh didn't have any warning, he wasn't sure which route he could take from Ba Sing Se to Caldera. He'd given them the Earth Kingdom's commercial ship schedule for the next week. This was the third day On Ji had gone down to the ports, and Katara's nerves seemed to be dancing on the edge of her sanity.

A flicker of color caught her eye and she glanced up, seeing Aang fly out from behind a cloud. His red and orange robes billowed in the wind as he dove down and landed, snapping his glider shut and striding towards her with a determined look on his face.

"He's here," he announced, "On Ji met him on the docks and she's taking the back way up through the hills. They'll probably be here in about twenty minutes." Katara nodded tightly, unable to speak. She hadn't seen the older man in years, hadn't spoken to him in months. She wondered briefly if he still thought of her as Zuko's something-more-than-friend, as he'd hinted at in that letter, or if he'd forgotten all about it.

"You're nervous?" Aang affirmed unexpectedly, and Katara raised her eyebrows at him. "No use asking how I know," he added, "if you don't know by now, then you never will."

"I guess… I don't know. It's just been a really long time since he's seen me, and he doesn't even really know why he's here. What if he doesn't know what to do?" she asked, "what if this is a dead end?" Aang shrugged. A leaf blew by on the wind and he grasped it between his long, thin fingers, then sent short little bursts of wind at it, whipping it between his fingers.

"Whatever it is, whatever happens, it isn't a dead end. A dead end is the last, final conclusion. It's cause and effect- 'if you go down this one road, you will come to an end'. Life isn't like that, Katara," he said quietly. "Life is the breeze that moves past you on your way, or pushes against you, or filters out of the cracks in the walls. Life is your water- if it's dammed up in one place, it flows to another and keeps running. So no matter what, Iroh coming here is going to change something. It's going to help."

She sat in silence for a moment, then nudged him with her elbow. His fingers stilled, and the leaf escaped from his power and flitted away, on its path to some other philosopher. "That's a very optimistic, all-encompassing way of looking at things," she teased halfheartedly. Aang's eyes remained unchanged, even though his lips twitched up.

"Avatar," he reminded her unnecessarily. "I learned a lot more from going back to the temples than I ever thought I would. I was trying to distract myself, see- I was really worried about you. I found these manuscripts though- ancient beliefs of my people. They gave me some peace, honestly, it was like I was really, truly coming home."

"I had a dream like that last night," Katara admitted. Aang turned to look at her and she clasped her hands behind her back, trying to stay relaxed, twisting her forefinger around the base of her thumb until the skin was tender. "It was just Sokka, Dad and I. Just sitting together, hanging out. I miss them."

"You're so lucky to have them," he reminded her. "Part of growing up as a monk means that your only family are your peers and your teachers… I think it would've been nice to have a mom, though." She put a hand on his shoulder and squeezed sympathetically, and he sat down next to the stump she'd been posted on.

They waited together, talking in low voices about Lani's improvement with her form and commenting on their own bending training. She picked at a hangnail on her thumb, then folded her hands tightly, then stuffed them between her thighs when she found she couldn't stop picking at her skin. Her neck prickled and a bead of sweat slid down between her shoulder blades. She reached back and scratched the spot, irritated by the feeling, and accidentally elbowed Aang in the face.

"Sorry!" she cried, but he just shook his head, rubbing his cheek. He grinned over at her, opening his mouth, then stopped, his grey eyes focusing somewhere over her right shoulder. His features broke into a relieved smile and he jumped up. Katara did the same, turning around just as Aang got to On Ji and scooped her up into his arms.

Katara walked forward, her heart rocketing around in her chest as the figure behind On Ji came up the hill and into view. She stepped past the embracing couple and blinked in the sunlight. Iroh was red in the face and puffing, but a smile spread over his face as he caught sight of her. The Dragon of the West straightened up and bowed, his hands in the traditional Fire Nation position.

"My goodness, Katara. It has been too long." His voice broke a spell within her, and she surged forward with a cry, wrapping her arms around his neck and burying her face in his soft, comfortable shoulder. He hugged her back, holding her there even after she released him, and she realized he might have been just as worried about seeing her as she'd been about seeing him. He drew back and stared at her happily. "You look so beautiful. I'm sure you look more like your mother than ever before."

"It's wonderful, seeing you," she said back thickly, then laced her arm through his. "Come inside. We have much to talk about." He nodded calmly and walked beside her, shivering slightly as they left the warmth of the sunlight in exchange for the secure caves. Katara waved Lani over, whose eyes lit up when she saw Iroh. The girl ran up to him and bowed hastily, hopping on the balls of her little feet.

"Hello, little one," Iroh greeted her jovially, "It hasn't been very long since the last time we've met, but hopefully this time, no one comes to snatch you up." Lani nodded very seriously and Iroh patted her head, then put his arm around her shoulder. Lani leaned into him, naturally trusting him.

Iroh's gaze flickered from Lani's sweet face to Katara's tired expression, and he raised his eyebrows at her. "Perhaps you can brew some tea for me as I speak to your mother?" he told Lani politely, drawing a silk bag out from his robes. She took it and opened the pouch, inhaling deeply.

"It's sweet!" she said in surprise. Iroh nodded indulgently.

"Yes, it is. For such a happy occasion as this reunion, I could not have brought a better blend. I was told you were quite good with tea- might I see for myself?" Lani seemed to understand and took the tea from him, grabbing a metal teapot and going outside to fill it up at the stream behind the cave.

"Thanks," Katara said, "I don't like sending her out, but I'd rather speak to you privately first." Iroh gestured for her to sit and knelt by the dying embers of the fire, stoking the flames and adding a few of his own to get the fire started up again.

"On Ji told me on the way up that you had some news for me, and that my help was badly needed on a few issues. I assume it has something to do with why Lani was stolen from my care, or why the dignitaries from Ba Sing Se have not yet returned to the Earth Kingdom after a peace summit?" Seeing Katara's shocked expression, Iroh went on in a grim tone of voice. "Indeed, Katara, there are strange happenings all around which suggest that all is not well here."

Lani came into the cave again, carrying the kettle carefully with both hands. Her eyes lit up at the fire, and Iroh turned towards her, inviting her closer. "You're quick! Do you know how to warm the teapot yourself?" Lani shook her head, her face shining in admiration as Iroh lit a small flame with two fingers and held them under the metal, causing steam to gather along the rim and disappear in ghostly strains up the side of the pot. She grasped her tiny hand into a fist and extended her pointer and middle fingers, glaring at them with a furrowed brow. It took a moment, but a small flame appeared there, flickering wildly for a moment before settling into a steady glow.

"Oh!" she gasped, and the flame went out. She looked up at Iroh, her wide smile revealing two missing teeth. "I've never done that before! I can only make a little fire with my fists, but this time it was easier and I was good at making it do what I wanted it to. Thank you!" She bowed hastily to Iroh, who was studying her with a little smile on his face.

"Many female firebenders feel more control and accuracy through two fingers," he agreed, then reached forward and gently adjusted her wrist so that it was straight. "Now, breathe as deeply as you can, as I showed you that night we… met," he amended, catching Katara's apprehensive expression. Lani sucked in a deep breath, and Iroh nodded. "Now center yourself. Feel the heat in your belly and expel it through your stomach, into your throat and down your arm!"

A blast of fire rocketed past Katara's face.

She lurched backwards, a shout of surprise on her lips. Lani, her face contorted with determination, pulled her arm up with a mighty heave. The flames followed like a rope being flung at the cavern's ceiling, twenty feet long by the time she lowered her arm, the orange strands twisting into white smoke. Katara stared, her chest heaving. Iroh said nothing, but his eyes were wide in the same shock Katara felt.

Katara remembered back to her first time bending a water whip, when she was _fourteen_ years old. Shaky, only strong enough to slice an inch through an ice block at best. How was it that Lani already had such a massive force within her? "Sorry," the little girl giggled, a mischievous dimple forming in her cheek. She bounced over to Iroh, her hands clutched hopefully at her chest. "Did I do it right?" she asked expectantly.

"You did it wonderfully," he told her. She threw an excited smile over her shoulder to Katara, then faced Iroh again. He straightened up and tapped his lip. "In fact, I may have to rethink your training. Would you allow me a few quiet moments with Katara to discuss some things?"

"Yes," Lani agreed breathlessly, and ran to hug Katara around the waist before she skipped out of the cave. Katara exhaled a long, slow breath and finally let the full weight of her shock show.

"Iroh," she started in a hushed, strained whisper, and he seemed to know exactly what she would ask, because he shook his head and stroked his beard thoughtfully.

"It is uncommon, though not unheard of, for children to have such ferocity in their bending. How long has she been doing that?" he asked.

"I've never seen it before," Katara confessed, "all I remembered about firebending was what Z-zuko taught me, just some forms," she continued, forcing out his name when her teeth tried to clench shut. If Iroh noticed her difficulties, he didn't mention them. "We've seen her punch out some flames before, but honestly…" she trailed off, not wanting to sound ignorant. "I guess I just thought that because she hadn't ever really trained, her bending wasn't going to be super strong."

"Is this one of the issues I was summoned here for?" Iroh asked, and when she shook her head, he pursed his lips and stared thoughtfully into the fire. "Then perhaps we should allow a moment to discuss this so as not to be distracted by it later. I have some concerns that you should be aware of." She agreed, and waited patiently for him to gather his thoughts. Finally, he sighed and stroked his beard.

"It appears that she already has a good sense of control over her bending, but that she doesn't yet know the significance of her power. I would teach her the spiritual side of bending as I understand it, and also help her come into this considerable amount of might with a good amount of comprehension and morality." Katara nodded, knowing that Iroh had what it takes to train a firebender.

"I'm just surprised by how intense it already is. Do you think maybe she could've been repressing some of it, and it all just came out at once?" Iroh raised his eyebrows, and when he spoke, his voice was grave.

"If that is the matter, then she must begin to train immediately."

"Why?" Katara asked as a shrill whistle filled the air, and Iroh grabbed the kettle from the embers at the edge of the fire. He began to pour the tea into two little mugs as he listed off his concerns.

"Firstly, energy, if not spent, circulates through the system and can cause problems. She should have an outlet for her energy, and a safe place to practice it. Secondly," he continued at Katara's nod, "children are most impressionable when they are young, before they are hit by their own importance and begin to know everything. The traditional age of beginning to train has passed her by, so in global terms, Lani is behind." Again, Katara agreed with a nod, waiting for his next bout of recommendations. "Lastly, something I think you shall understand best of all. Bending fire- especially at that amount- is something to rejoice in, to cultivate. Bending helps to shape a bender's personality, their standards, their self-respect. This could enhance her quality of life in ways that, unfortunately, only firebending can." Iroh smiled briefly at her, then arranged his features into an expression of gentle curiosity. "Is it you who taught Zuko to do that?" he asked abruptly.

Katara's eyes widened. "What?"

Iroh chuckled into his beard. "Take turns in polite conversation. Zuko was forever interrupting anyone who tried to give him advice, whether through his own ignorance or because the conversation simply wasn't telling him what he wanted to know. Even after his appointment to Fire Lord, he was hasty in speaking. However, the last time he came to see me, we had surprisingly long, peaceful talks without interruption. He'd learned to wait to make his argument until he'd first heard the terms of it." Iroh's eyes rose to meet hers, politely interested. "I am wondering if you were the one to have such an effect on my nephew. He-"

"He's alive," Katara croaked, her throat rusty from choking back a whimper. She hadn't meant to say it so directly like that, but so much time had already passed… it had just spilled out. Surely she should've been more considerate, Iroh was aging after all, and shock wasn't good for him…

She realized that Iroh was studying her more thoroughly than she'd ever felt in her entire life. Not even the knowledge spirit from the library had had that effect on her, but now she felt as if he was cutting her skin away and examining everything underneath. She waited for his response, waited for anything but the simple, interested, calculating look in his eyes.

Then, Iroh said, "Who told you?"

There had been one day among many with Zuko where she'd accompanied him around the whole palace in an appraisal of what needed to be fixed, mended, or modernized. It was a tradition for the new Fire Lord to become the leader of the household as well in this manner, and he had taken it very seriously. There had been broken fences in the royal orchard, a few ripped tapestries, and the disaster zone that had been Azula's room, but they'd eventually made it to the private tea garden.

She had watched Zuko kneel by the murky waters of a pond and gaze down into the depths, and had come to stand by him. "You look sad," she'd said softly, so that the attendants wouldn't hear. He had turned to look at her steadily, his scar spreading across his cheekbone and up into his hair like layered waves in the ocean. She remembered thinking about how soft the skin was, despite its rough appearance- much like its owner.

"This was one of my mother's favorite places in the palace. My grandmother was the one who designed it, so it's sort of the Fire Lady's retreat. There used to be a family of turtle-ducks here, but…" his voice trailed off, and she had made the leap that somehow, the disappearance of the little animals was a profound loss to him.

"Don't worry, Zuko. They'll come back for the next Fire Lady when she comes here, I suppose. I'm sure Mai will just love them." She'd seriously doubted Mai's ability to care for such darling little creatures, and had tried to make a joke of it. Zuko hadn't laughed, and she remembered being so full of anger and anxiety that she hadn't been able to fully control herself. "Don't you think, Zuko? You sure chose the right woman." Katara snorted. "She'll probably have them outlawed."

Finally, he'd sighed. "I know what it looks like. But Katara… please. Don't ask me."

"I don't need to," she'd spat back, unable to keep her secret anymore. "I don't need to. I already know the truth, no thanks to you." His eyebrows raised, pulling the corner of his scarred eye up, but her words were already spilling over her lips, knotting together like a thread that's too long for it's needle. "Mai's moving into the West Wing."

Her statement hadn't seemed to faze him. Zuko had studied her for a long time, her chest heaving, her eyes narrowed expectantly. What she had been expecting, she couldn't say. An excuse, perhaps, an apology. Something as simple as saying, "I know. I'm sorry." So she had waited and watched the battle in his wasted eye- he could control his emotions in his right eye because he'd practiced, but Zuko had never counted on someone looking past his scar to delve into his internal musings. She could see the Prince against the Pauper, the Rebel versus the Servant to the People, and all his other roles, all waging a hasty war on each other. By the time the flickering gaze settled, she was holding her breath, unable to determine who had won.

"Who told you?" he'd finally asked. As if she was an ignorant peasant, as if he'd been caught in a lie and was thoroughly irritated by it. He was Fire Lord Zuko after all, and she would be expected to play submissive. Her teeth had bared at the thought.

"No one needed to. It's big news when a Fire Lord moves his girlfriend into the palace. Which, according to Fire Nation custom, is the first step a woman takes in a marriage to the Fire Lord. She gains control of one end of the house, familiarizes herself with her future servants and chambers, and once she's settled, they announce the wedding date. Seems a little backwards, doesn't it? I bet-"

"Enough, Katara!" he'd snapped, suddenly standing over her with eyes like a those of a starving man watching another man eat a juicy, succulent pear. "You've made your point, alright? And who knows? Maybe- maybe it was better this way," he'd finished miserably.

"And maybe it's not!" she'd shouted at him, enraged that he was so passive about it. His guards and advisors had looked their way, alarmed, and she'd bit back her next retort.

"You're right. But did you ever think that maybe there was a reason I didn't tell you? That maybe it didn't matter?" She'd gaped at him, not believing he'd said the words. It didn't matter? A major step forward, a huge change for both of them (whether she was willing to admit it or not) and he thought it didn't matter?

"Right," she'd said. And it was then that she'd realized that no matter how hard she wished it, nothing was going to go her way. Mai would move in, they would announce the engagement, and they would marry. She would watch from the crowd as he committed himself to a future without her- so Zuko was right then, and it really didn't matter. She hadn't been able to stand another minute of that deep, wrenching agony, and had gotten up as fast as possible.

"Well, I hope she's all you wish her to be. I'm sure that you will have a long and fulfilling life together, Fire Lord." He'd watched her rise to her feet with his mouth set in a hard line, but at that he'd shook his head slowly, sadly.

"Not you, Katara," he'd murmured, catching her by the hand to still her movements. "I can deal with false happiness from everyone but you." The other men had gone silent, watching their leader carefully. Katara hadn't reacted. She'd gently slipped free from Zuko's warm grasp, dropped to one knee, stood and receded, and knelt again. It was customary for a citizen to kneel thrice when in the presence of the lord and again when leaving, but he'd never let her be so unfamiliar. They had transcended that boundary, yet she'd known then that it was a mistake to think that way.

"Stop," he'd told her, his face contorted in grief, but she had already been kneeling for the third time. He'd started forward, and she remembered thinking, _too little, too late_. Katara had turned on her heel, daring to defy him as she left the peaceful garden. "Katara!" Zuko had shouted after her, but she had kept a measured gait until she was certain he couldn't see her, wouldn't follow.

Then, she had fled.

Now, she looked at Iroh, his words still ringing in her ears. "Who told me?" she rasped, frozen in her seat. He knew, and he hadn't told her? He _knew,_ and he hadn't done anything with the information at all. _Traitor,_ her mind hissed, and she slammed her tea down, rising to pace around the fire. "Who told me? Maybe you should have, if you would be so kind! Iroh- I've been killing myself, trying to find out what happened! And you _knew!_" she screamed, tearing at her hair, flinging her arms out and accidentally bending the tea in their cups into frozen spikes with the harsh movement. She turned, trying to regain control.

"Yes, I did. I knew that Zuko was alive, and- forgive me- I have known for a while."

"I won't," she snapped childishly, and Iroh nodded, accepting her anger. His frozen tea steamed for a moment as he heated the mug, and he swilled the warm liquid around as he studied her.

"Let me explain, Katara. If by the time I am done, you still have contempt for me, I will leave you in peace. But first let me explain."

The request was too tantalizing to refuse, but that didn't mean she was happy about it. A beast was clawing at her insides, and she found herself picking incessantly at that damn hangnail again. "Fine," she snapped, and sat down across the fire from the old man, letting the flames and smoke obscure him until she could almost believe he was just a voice, floating out from her best dreams and worst nightmares.

"You went to see Ursa disguised as an actor in a play. She told you that Zuko came to find her, she related parts of her journey-"

"Yeah, like how none of this would've happened if they'd been able to meet at the siege of the North Pole," Katara interrupted, causing Iroh to raise his eyebrows in polite incredulity. He was still the Dragon of the West, of royal blood, and the wisest man she knew, and she felt bad immediately for being rude. "Sorry," Katara muttered.

"Yes, indeed," he said quietly. "But alas, fate chooses its own course. I believe that one of the reasons the late Commander Zhao refused Zuko's help at the end of his life partly because he then would have felt compelled to owe him something, and all he had to offer was information on Ursa. He was a truly evil man, to be so consumed by hate until his very last."

"Undoubtedly," she agreed impatiently. Iroh smiled a little and went on.

"Ursa told you that Zuko and she left the ship in private, got into the palace, and that after that, she didn't know what had happened to him. However, she refused to give you a key piece to the puzzle, citing her reason as being to not dishonor the memory of her son. This was her one true lie to you, Katara."

"What's the truth, then?" she demanded.

"The truth is that by doing this, she endeavored to keep you as safe as possible without letting you give up hope." She frowned, realizing that whatever Ursa hadn't told her, she wasn't going to find out from Iroh. "Think about it, my dear- if you had gotten a full answer to how my nephew died, you might have gone back to your life and left it at that. She was fearful for many reasons. When Azula took the throne, she neglected to reinstate Ursa as the Dowager Fire Lady. She instead hid her mother away in a mostly unfamiliar place, barring her from having visitors. Even back during this time, Ursa could tell there was a significant struggle in her daughter's mind, and took advantage of it to question her. Azula never gave her a straight answer, but she said something that Ursa thought very suspicious.

"Azula, when leaving her mother in her new prison, had given the strictest instructions to not allow anyone in or out. She said, 'if he remembered you well enough to go out and find you once, there's no guarantee he won't do it again'. Ursa had questioned her and Azula clarified, saying Ozai wouldn't rest if he knew where she was. This was untrue.

"Did you ever meet a man by the name of Ju Huan?" Iroh asked suddenly, and Katara shuddered, remembering the beheaded body at the foot of her stairs. "He was an old friend of mine, a respected leader in the military. He was also the captain of Zuko's ship when he went to find Ursa, and the first person I sought out when I heard of Zuko's death."

"Me too," she said, "but I didn't get anything useful out of him, really. He was drunk and really confused. It was like-"

"It was like he didn't remember anything about the journey? Or possibly, that it hurt him to think of it? Liquor dulls a man's intellect. He may drink so as not to feel guilty about holes in his memory, or because in a stupor, trying to remember is less painful."

"The Dai Li," Katara suggested grimly, "their specialty is altering memories. Jet for example, he didn't even know that he'd been hunting you guys down in Ba Sing Se because he'd been brainwashed to forget. He forgot pretty much every aspect of himself." When Iroh didn't answer, she narrowed her eyes so that his face came into focus through the smoke screen. Why wasn't he responding? What had she missed?

As soon as the concept was voiced inside her head, Iroh's silence fell into place.

_There's no guarantee he won't do it again…_

_He'd been brainwashed to forget…_

_I knew you would be the only one who loved him more than life itself- the one person who would continue to search for him even after he could no longer be found…_

"Oh," she breathed, her mind suddenly crystal clear- more so than it had been in almost three years. It was a dizzying sensation, as if all the air in the room was suddenly too thin to sustain her.

"There we are," Iroh murmured, and tears leaked down into his beard. "Now you know. Zuko is alive, but even he does not know it. There is, of course, the possibility that the conditioning has faded, but this is unlikely. Azula had to know that he was made to forget, and only she knows what happened to him next. But she did not kill him, or else she wouldn't have had to hide Ursa away. Zuko and the crew were the only ones who knew Ursa was set to return, and obviously Azula hadn't accounted for that when she staged the coup. She had to fix it later, by killing off the crew, but it was around this time I believe Zuko escaped somehow and sparked Azula's paranoia."

"But then why didn't Ursa tell me he was alive?" she protested.

"As I said, she was mainly interested in keeping you safe, Katara. Ursa is not as helpless as she may have appeared- she has enough influence to occasionally sneak messages out, as she did to me. Also, she was a key advisor for Azula's actions as Fire Lord, and has used that to manipulate her daughter. Ursa hoped that by drawing Azula's attention to rebuilding the Fire Nation, a process which will take decades, she could distract the girl from trying to hunt down the brother she'd obviously lost track of. If Ursa would have told you he was alive, you would have been a liability and a danger. You may have taken more risks, gotten captured or killed. This is why she decided to censor the information she gave you."

"But Azula's been trailing me just for looking for answers! How is that saving me?" Iroh inclined his head.

"So it is Azula who told you? I only ask because it would be problematic for others to know, and we need as much of the full story as possible." Iroh leaned back, lacing his fingers over his belly, and smiled over at her. "It is only with the full knowledge of the past that we can change our future, Katara. It is time."

Katara thought about Sokka, captured and alone. She thought about Ursa, who had been kept in silence for so long. And she thought about Zuko, who was wandering around with no idea that he had the power to save the world as they knew it. As they _wanted _it.

"Yes, it is."

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><p>Hopefully no one's disappointed, please review, and I'm trying to get the next chapter hammered out right now! Thanks for reading, as always!<p>

-Aleina


	28. Into the Fire

**Ever heard the song "Into the Fire" by Thirteen Senses? Have I mentioned it before? I have no idea, but if I haven't it's basically the shit, and you should listen to it. Thanks for waiting! I'm trying to be better about updates, I promise!**

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><p>Chapter Twenty-Eight<p>

Into the Fire

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><p>The darkness that night was suffocating. Black, smothering clouds billowed up over the edges of the mountains and rolled across the sky like ink dripping off paper. No rain fell, but Katara could feel it waiting in the air, infiltrating every breath and collecting in sweat along her spine. Aang crouched next to her, unusually still, and On Ji flanked him, her breaths not quiet enough, her eyes flitting around nervously. She'd refused to stay behind as soon as it was suggested, but Iroh had agreed to lead them to the entrance and then go back to the cave with Lani and depart for Ba Sing Se the next morning. The little girl was currently hidden away, waiting for Iroh's return.<p>

It had been decided that no matter what, Lani should not be present for what came after tonight's adventure.

It had taken three days of careful planning to bring them to where they were now. Three days of watching the guards cycle through their posts, of Iroh meditating on the memory of a floorplan he hadn't seen in years, of preparing themselves for every possible outcome. Sokka had been in jail for two weeks and he needed to get out. If that meant they risked all, so be it. Katara had already determined that her brother would not endure another night locked up, and her hands itched to begin.

Iroh knew the palace from his boyhood and early adult years, and he remembered only one secret entrance into the palace that he'd mapped out for certain. It was an emergency route down to the port, meant for the royal family's escape in the case of a siege on the palace. The night before, he'd gone out to find the entrance, and had come home hours later looking tired but triumphant. Now, as they walked through the shadows of the streets, Iroh guided them forward with his head high and his eyes calm.

Katara let out a sigh as they passed her old apartments, destroyed and seemingly abandoned. She clutched her mother's pendant around her neck, realizing too late that she should have left it for safekeeping. Something ominous followed her that night, licking at her heels and brushing against the skin of her face and neck. She started feeling it as soon as they left the cave, and it came closer and closer with every step she took.

These rooftops had once seemed so familiar and small with Blue, but now they rose above her line of sight, constricting and oppressive. How could they know if someone watched them from the rooftops? What if there were guards right across the alley? There was absolutely no guarantee that they weren't walking into a trap or an ambush.

"Katara," Aang whispered insistently, and she started, realizing that she'd been frozen, peering into the darkness across the street. Aang raised his eyebrows in concern, and she waved him off, striding after Iroh quickly. She knew why it felt so wrong tonight, compared to all the other nights she'd walked alone in Caldera. Before, she always knew who it was, looking out at her from the shadows. Those black, hollow eyes and that leering mask that had once scared her had changed into her wary guardian, her lying enlightener.

Blue did not walk in her shadow tonight. And she was afraid.

Iroh looked over his shoulder, his face calm. "It is not much farther from here," he murmured, just loud enough for everyone to hear. Katara felt a spike of anxiety and swallowed it down, moving forward with stealthy movements. They stole into an alley and ran single file, following Iroh to a door. Katara grasped the cool, scratchy surface of the wall she leaned against as Iroh pulled the door forward and open, sucking in a cool breeze from behind them and blowing On Ji and Katara's hair forward. A chilly, inky darkness crept from the door, threatening to choke her even as she stood in the dimly lit alley. Iroh took a small bundled cloth from his sleeve and unwrapped it, revealing a single block of wood with one end charred. He took Katara's hand, drawing a wavy, zigzagging line across her palm, ending it between her fourth and fifth fingers. "This is the way," he whispered, dropping her hand and taking Aang's, working quickly. "There will be guards around every corner if the dungeon is in use, as it is now for Sokka. You must be silent and quick. Be aware of where your friends are, and do not confuse them with your enemies." His eyes flickered to Katara's. "Once you enter the palace, you are but a small twig falling into the fire, swallowed whole, invisible. The palace operates separately from Caldera, from the world beyond it even. This is why you must be careful to return from this fire without catching flame yourself."

Aang stepped forward and bowed low. "Thank you, Iroh. No matter what happens tonight, it's been an honor and a pleasure." Iroh raised his eyebrows at the young man whose voice trembled, despite the formality of the words.

"Such eloquence, wasted on a foolish old man. It was nothing more than a visit from an old friend, Aang, but such a pleasant time should be repeated under more pleasant circumstances." He smiled kindly and patted Aang's shoulder, who straightened up and nodded, accepting Iroh's little bow. Katara felt her heart clench for the little boy who once would have sprung forward and hugged the old man, but times had changed, and they had changed with them.

On Ji bowed to Iroh as well, smiling bravely. "It was an honor to meet you, General Iroh, and I hope to see you again soon." He pinched her cheek softly and then faced Katara, who couldn't think of words for the life of her. There was an awkward moment when she stared straight into his face, her mouth open, struggling to convey at least a part of her heart through the tightness in her throat, with him looking back, searching her eyes. Iroh seemed to understand then, and hugged her.

"I hope you will one day be able to forgive my actions, Katara. I know you will find your brother, and that when all of this is done, Lani will be waiting for your return."

"Leave with her as soon as you can," Katara blurted out, the sudden feeling of dread too strong to ignore. She reached out and grasped his sleeve. "Iroh, don't wait until morning. Please." He studied her, then nodded once.

"I'll keep her safe." He pressed her hand in his and dropped it, turning to leave, having said everything there was to say. She bit her lip, not feeling as certain. Tears pricked at the back of her eyes, and her throat swelled, swallowing no longer giving relief.

"Wait," she said quickly, and went to hug him again, kissing his cheek, his scent comforting and familiar. "I forgive you. I'm sorry. I'll fix it, Iroh, I promise. I won't give up, I'll make it right." Strength returned to her voice with the last statement, and he heard it, smiling in approval as Aang and On Ji turned back to see what was taking so long.

As she strode away, towards the dark entryway with her two friends following behind her, she heard Iroh's soft, hopeful voice. "I do believe you will."

…

An upward slope. Level off. Up again, and back down.

His footsteps echoed in the stone alley, uncharacteristically loud for him. Usually, he was silent. It was all he knew, or at least that's what he'd thought. Turns out, he didn't even know who he was.

A bright flash- a burst of color, orange and gold and black hair, soft white fingertips, a thin smiling mouth. He grabbed his head and lurched sideways, into the wall, his shoulder hitting it roughly enough to tear the fabric of his shirt. His life was a series of consciousness and unknown stretches of time, of knowing one minute where he was and then waking up somewhere different. This wall- this tunnel. He couldn't remember how he found it, how he knew it was there. Only that it led to something he needed to remember. He'd never worried about memories, in the beginning. The only thing that had mattered was the present, how to heal, how to stay hidden from that nagging suspicion that something was after him.

He had awoken in the Earth Kingdom, in the outskirts of a town near Lake Laogi. He knew exactly where he was, but nothing was familiar to him- it was as if everything he knew had been memorized out of books, and his personal experience with the world had just started. It was impossible to come into life knowing all, and he wondered at first if he was a spirit. But spirits didn't bleed. They didn't dream, and they didn't crawl when their feet were too blistered to walk anymore.

He'd wandered, a ghost. Time meant nothing until he found the mask.

It had been during the night, when he'd first made it to Lake Laogi. He'd thought that maybe he could find shelter and rest there, but he was wrong. The whole lake was drained, nothing but a cavernous hole in the ground with a huge pile of rubble in the center. That was the night his paranoia had been validated, when the men with the strange metal hands swarmed the lake, silent and terrifying. He'd crawled between two slabs of rock and found himself in a little cave, where the ruins had buckled together and stayed, and crouched there as he listened to them search. A small pocket of moonlight shone through a crack in the ceiling. Someone ran over his hiding spot, blocking out the light, but when it returned a moment later, it glinted off something to his left.

A mask, leering out at him as he pulled it from under a stone. Something had tugged inside him, and he'd known instantly that there was a reason he'd wandered to this place. He pressed it to his face, and flashed backwards into a dizzying memory of fire and fighting, two swords gleaming in the light-

And then he'd found himself in a house, in a dark room with dull, moony metal on all four walls. Swords, knives, spears, all made from the same shimmering metal. It reminded him of the moon. For some reason, he had longed for moonlight, felt more comfortable wrapped in the dark blue and black mask than he had in his own pale skin. And that metal had been humming with captured moonlight. He hadn't been able to resist.

The Dao swords, he'd strapped to his back. Everything else, he'd rolled into one burlap sack and thrown over his shoulders, stealing out of the house, back to a nearby forest. He'd fallen asleep gazing at those weapons in the moonlight, and that night, he'd dreamed of a woman with eyes as blue as his mask, all fluid and warm and passionate. She was water, but out of her element, caught in a rocky, hot land where nothing flowed.

And when he'd woken up, he was there, in that world. That town, which seemed to haunt him with tantalizing bits of the past, little spurts of color and laughter like children playing find-me in the streets. He'd found her, in that same house as his dream, with those same fiery eyes. Katara.

His footsteps dragged, and he stopped walking, ducking into a crevice as his head buzzed angrily. She hadn't known him in his mask, and because the Blue Spirit was all he remembered, all he knew that he was, he couldn't remove it. Those days he'd lost, the sudden waking in another place- he knew it wasn't normal, wasn't right. He couldn't remember. But even though she hadn't known him, he'd seen her before in his dream, felt something stir in his chest when he found her. If it was the last thing he'd do, he chose to protect her.

Her mission was misguided and dangerous, but he'd known she wouldn't give up and he'd decided to help. How could he not, feeling that tie to her as he did? Maybe a part of him had hoped she'd find closure, but he'd never thought about what that would feel like until the day in the stream.

Katara had broken something inside him with that kiss. He'd heard his own voice, felt it creak and reverberate in his throat before he emitted it, and the dam had snapped, sending a tsunami of words, feelings, and visions over his head, sweeping him away from himself. That time, when he woke, he was once again in the city, his eyes clearer than they'd been in ages. He remembered a woman, dark hair, pale skin, her loving, comforting voice. He remembered gold, red velvet, flames. And he remembered a secret, the contents still hidden from him. He remembered there was a way to break it open, and then, he'd flashed and was here, in the tunnels, his body telling his mind where to go instead of the other way round.

He'd never cared about memories before, but now, it was all he could do to see the present reality through the veil his past had settled over him.

He stepped out again into the hall, hugging the wall as he moved down the corridor. Upwards slope, level out, steep drop back down. Curve to the right. Back up. A light grew at the end of the tunnel and he slowed, evening his breath and quieting his footsteps. This was all about the truth, no matter what it took to find it. If he had any chance of having Katara, he needed to tie up the loose ends of the past.

The ghost moved forward, into the light. There was a cry, a clang of metal, a sluicing sound, and the spatter of blood on stone. He swung his swords steadily, leaping to avoid fire, bending backwards as a spear hurtled towards him, kicking legs out from underneath bodies so he could roll over, stab, slice, battle them into silence. Before long, he was alone in the corridor, and the door those soldiers had all burst from was hanging open, the path to it littered with bodies.

And then he was looking through bars, breathing heavily through the cloth hiding his mouth, his eyes wide with shock. A man hung from his wrists, his tan skin littered with dark bruises and new lashes. A man with his dark musky brown hair tied back in a knot, his face downturned, his toes barely touching the ground. He didn't stir at the noise, and it was only by the gentle rise and fall of his skinny chest that the ghost knew he was alive at all.

He reached through the bars and his fingertips grazed the man's arm. He jolted and gasped, his head shooting up, his eyes bloodshot and swollen, looking around in a disoriented way. "Who's there?" he slurred, and his bleary gaze focused for a moment on the ghost, who stepped closer, studying his features. He felt his heart leap into his throat. This man had her eyes.

A vision split open his head and he slammed to his knees, gripping his forehead. This man, younger- not a man, a boy- snow, deep frozen snow everywhere, and a painted face- fangs, wolf eyes, grey blue white-

He surfaced for a moment, smelled the blood and sweat in the small room, and his stomach lurched. He unsheathed his swords and dragged them across the metal, creating only a small scratch in the surface. He has her eyes. He needs to get out. He has her eyes. Over and over again, the ghost felt his blades bouncing off of steel.

A little deeper. A little quicker. He has her eyes.

He heard something, a murmur of voices, and realized the man was once more sagging in his chains. Filth clung to his skin and for a moment, the ghost wondered at his actions. Where was he? Who was the man, and why did he need to get out? In one jarring realization, everything he knew fell away, and that flash was back. He fought it, fought the memories, struggled and fell backwards. On impact, he was gone, and his body crawled for him, hiding as he flew away in his head.

When he found himself, he was standing at the edge of a pond, the quiet, calm center of chaos, the eye of the storm. A ghost, at one with the darkness of night.

…

Katara could feel that something was wrong. They hadn't come across one guard in the tunnel yet, and judging by Iroh's map, they had just one more bend in the hall until they found the entrance to the dungeon. They should have been fighting by now. Maybe should have even been dead by now.

"Katara," Aang whispered, and she nodded, feeling for his body in the black hall, finding his sleeve and tugging it so they would stop moving. On Ji was silent, thankfully, but Katara could still feel her nearby, listening carefully.

"I know. We haven't met anyone. Do you think it's a trap?"

"Don't see how it could be," he murmured back, being careful to cover his mouth so the sound wouldn't carry too far, the stone walls catching his voice and making it echo anyways. "Maybe we're between shifts." She shook her head, but without an answer, they had no choice but to continue. She kept one hand on the wall, keeping her elbow locked so she was always a good couple feet away from the wall. The ground was softer and quieter in the middle of the hall, from centuries of feet wearing down the stone. She felt Aang close behind her, following her steps exactly, and some of her anxiety faded away. No matter what, she wasn't alone in this. He could help with whatever was waiting for them, and even if it was death that they were walking towards, she knew she'd be able to at least save him and On Ji.

She took a moment to pray that Sokka was alive. Then, she felt the wall begin to curve towards the right, and her heart plunged. Aang sensed the change and tensed, and she wished she'd told him she loved him before they'd gone into the tunnels. It was too late now, but hopefully he knew.

Suddenly, Katara felt something wet and slick under her fingertips instead of the rough texture of stone. She pulled her hand away with a little gasp, and Aang snapped a flame to life between his fingers, holding it over her shoulder. Her fingers were dark and dripping. "That's… that's blood," he breathed, and Katara could stand the darkness no longer.

"Aang," she started, her breath squeezing out of her, wondering whose life she's dipped her fingers into, whose death she now wore. He understood, and she stepped forward as two flames erupted in his palms and illuminated the scene before them. On Ji let out a strangled cry, and Katara couldn't blame her.

There were bodies everywhere.

…

Iroh patted the sweat from his forehead and the crevices along his nose before going behind the cave. It looked abandoned, but he couldn't be sure no one had been to look in the hills since he'd taken the younger ones to the tunnel entrance. He moved efficiently and quietly through the weeds and tall grasses, finally making it to the little thatch of woods. He counted the trees as he walked through them, getting to the eleventh before he rapped smartly on the trunk and looked up. Leaves rustled, and Lani poked her face out from behind a branch, her forehead creased. She smiled when she recognized him, and he reached up to catch her as the little girl swung herself down from her hiding spot.

"That was quick," she said sleepily, rubbing her eyes, and he chuckled, pulling a twig out of her hair.

"It must have felt like it to you, little one. How did you manage to fall asleep without literally falling out of your tree?" he teased, eliciting a giggle from his young charge as she slipped her hand into his and followed him out of the woods.

"I balance real well," she explained, "so I knew if I started slipping I'd wake up." She looked up at him, yawning, and he was reminded suddenly of his son, Lu Ten, waking him in the mornings for a training session before breakfast. Lu Ten had never known his mother, who died in childbirth, and so Iroh had tried to be everything for him. He knew the burden Katara must feel.

"Very clever of you. Plans have changed a little bit, Lani," he told her frankly, knowing children digested news best when they were told simple truths. "Your mother wants you to be safe as soon as possible, which means that we need to leave now. Do you have your things?"

Lani shrugged, seeming too tired to care. "Yes, except my slingshot. It's by the fire, can I get it?" she asked, and he nodded, waiting for her to return. The old man had his pack already strapped to his back, and hers on top until she felt awake enough to carry it, and without another word, they set off towards the port. They stayed on the outskirts of the city, stopping only once to get bread and cheese before Iroh purchased two cheap boat tickets and quickly got them settled on a passenger ship to the Earth Kingdom. He'd take her to Kyoshi, wait with Suki and the baby for Katara's word.

Iroh didn't allow himself to wonder if the word would come at all. He'd given her all that she absolutely needed, yet even as he thought those words, a small, malevolent voice in the back of his mind called out to him. _The secret,_ it chanted, _the secret, old fool. Who will carry it when you are dead and gone? _ Ursa knew, but she'd never tell another soul. Zuko had known, but there was no evidence suggesting he still remembered, wherever he was. And what if the information he withheld could really help Katara?

But no, he had to remember, it was no longer his secret to tell. Just his to keep.

The only snag was Azula. If she knew, if she had really ripped it from Zuko or her mother, then there was no telling what might happen.

"Uncle Iroh?" He blinked, suddenly realizing that he'd been off with the spirits for too long, leaving his young charge unattended. Lani looked up at him with her large, innocent eyes, and he found himself smiling back warmly at her. "Can I go up top?" she asked, and he glanced around the grimy dormitory they sat in, taking in the dim torches and the leaky pipes above their heads.

"I am sorry, but perhaps it would be better to stay out of sight for a while. Perhaps when we're farther out, we can both go up." The more inconspicuous they were, the better. He knew no one was looking for them- yet- but it was safer to keep to themselves. Lani nodded, pouting for a moment before she pulled out her slingshot and rummaged for things to shoot. Iroh watched in polite interest as she set up three paper dolls at the end of her cot and began pitching little blue berries at them.

"You're good at that," he commented when she'd felled all three dolls with three quick shots. "Who taught you that?"

"My friend Blue," Lani answered, fiddling with the band on her toy, tightening it and plucking to test the resistance. "He showed me how to aim and how to decide how far I pull back, and then we practiced on birds. He's really good at- oh!" she gasped, her cheeks flushing, and she covered her mouth. "Wasn't supposed to talk about him," she whispered to herself, and glanced up at Iroh, who was confused but intrigued.

"Why not?" he asked. Lani shrugged and pushed her hair behind her ears.

"Mama said not to, because she didn't want to worry anyone. I dunno why they would worry though. He's nice. He doesn't hurt us." Iroh thought back to a friend Katara might have mentioned, but couldn't think of anyone. Perhaps this Blue was an imaginary friend, one that Katara didn't want Lani to get too involved with in her head. "Please don't tell her I told you about Blue. She might get mad, 'cause she 'spifically said not to."

"I won't," he assured her, then cocked his head to one side. "But may I ask just one question?" She nodded, and he proceeded. "Why do you call him Blue? Surely that's not his name."

Lani nodded. "It is. He told me so- well, he didn't tell me, but he doesn't talk, so that's why he wrote it. That's what Mama calls him." Iroh raised his eyebrows. So Katara talked to Blue, too?

"How interesting. A man named Blue, who no one but you have met, and who doesn't speak. I wonder why she calls him that?" Lani smiled mischievously.

"It's 'cause his face. He wears a face that's all blue and white so you can't see his eyes, and he just glares at you, like this." Lani demonstrated, baring her teeth at Iroh, her eyebrows pulled down and her lips raised in a fierce snarl. She spoke through her leer, her voice roughened. "It looks scary, but he's nice. He saved me and Mama a bunch of times, and once I saw him kiss her forehead when he thought I was asleep. Well, maybe not kiss- he bumped her, with his face." Finished with her little confession, the girl sat back on her heels and waited for Iroh to say something. She lapsed back into her regular expression and turned away when Iroh didn't react. When she got up to walk the corridor between cots, he remained perfectly still, so that none of the newly splintered glass inside him could pierce through his skin and reveal itself.

"So if nothing else, he remembered the Blue Spirit," he mused quietly, and a sad smile spread across the general's face, alone on a small ship headed away from the truth he'd just learned, save for a little girl who didn't know what she'd just given him. Of course, he thought. Of course he would find a way to come back and protect Katara, even if he didn't know who she was. Iroh wondered for a moment if he should write to Katara, borrow postage and a hawk from one of the crew members and tell her. But something told him to wait, to have faith in that shadowy truth, dancing on the edge of its revealing. Sometimes when the heart knew, the mind lagged behind and needed to catch up in its own time.

Iroh bowed his head and sent his prayers back to the land they'd just left. "Please remember, nephew. It is the only way to save her, yourself, and what is left of this broken world."

"Please. Remember."

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><p><strong>Hope you enjoyed, please review! I'm putting myself on a schedule so maybe my updates will be more regular. Thanks for your patience!<strong>


	29. Fractured Falling

**Yay! I updated in what, like, a week or something? Seriously worked on this all day (or tried to, at least) so hopefully it's up to par! Thanks for reading, please review!**

**PS. It's the one you've been waiting for.**

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><p>Chapter Twenty-Nine<p>

Fractured Falling

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><p>Katara lifted her skirt and stepped over a guard with his throat slit, the blood not yet congealed. "This was recent," she whispered, her hoarse voice carrying over slaughtered bodies, stagnant with their absence of breath. On Ji and Aang flanked out beside her, silently taking in the gruesome scene before them. She raised her palm and traced the path from the heel of her hand to the spot between her fourth and fifth finger- the door that lay ahead of them, splintered off its heavy metal hinges, dead men slung over the handles and bolts. "Someone was here," she declared softly. Her heart beat faster as she briefly allowed herself a moment to wonder if her brother was in the room beyond.<p>

"If this happened recently, we need to move quickly. The guards switch at a quarter past midnight, and it was already five past when we started. These guards were either new, or whoever was supposed to relieve them is on their way," Aang said, crouching by one man, a look of grim determination on his maturing features. He gingerly picked up one of the small swords the guards wore on their hips. The end of it was jagged, as if it had been sliced through, and the blade was smeared with blood. "Wow," he said quietly.

"Aang!" On Ji cried softly, and Katara's head snapped up. The younger woman was kneeling on the ground, her face paler than usual, her fingers tipped red, but gripping a small set of keys. Her eyes rose to Katara's as Aang jumped over, and she shrugged helplessly. "They were on his belt. I…" she trailed off, listening to a murmur as it grew louder. Her eyes grew wide. "The guards," she mouthed, her voice already silenced by terror.

"No- Katara, they're-" Aang started, but she was already moving.

"No time, keys!" she shouted, and Aang snatched the bloody metal from On Ji's unresisting hands and threw them to Katara as she bolted through the doorway. She caught a hasty glance at the strangely inverted and folded crevices in the walls and a line of cells before the door on the opposite end of the room burst open, whirling disks of fire careening toward her. She yelped in surprise and dove to the side, colliding with the wall, pushing off it as another wheel rolled at her. That was a narrow miss, and she felt more than heard Aang and On Ji come through the door and engage in battle. Guards poured out of the entry, lining up and marching forward with every blast. Smoke, air, and metal filled the air, everything blurry, surrounded by noise. The waterbender lunged forward, her shoulder catching the edge of a blade, and found herself crammed against the bars of a cell. A body collided with her, and she stabbed it with a knife from her belt, only to realize the woman was already dead, her armor dragging the both of them down.

Katara twisted and her clothes caught on something, throwing her back onto the ground. She snarled and slashed around with a surge of water, rage hardening her face into a hateful scowl. She felt impact and flipped up just in time to watch a guard fall, to see On Ji thrown against a wall, to hear Aang's tortured yell. There was a flash of light, and she was blasted back, smacking the back of her head on the bars as something cut across her cheek.

Everything slowed down- she fell, turning midair, clutching at the cell bars to keep upright. Sluggish and disjointed, time flew past her. The metal was cold and rough beneath her fingertips, feeling more like wrought iron than anything else. In the midst of battle, there was no noise- a hollow ringing in her ears, and not much else. Katara's head hung between her shoulders, arms risen above to hold her body off the ground, certain if she fell, it would be a while before she got up.

With a pull that started in her lower back, face pinched with effort, she raised her head, and froze. He was looking right at her. He was looking right through her.

"Sokka," she croaked, and her brother blinked groggily, a faint smile appearing on his cracked lips. It was then that she remembered the keys, and knew that she no longer had them. _How do I save him?_ she thought wildly, but then something happened that brought her painfully back to the reality of the situation.

She'd seen Sokka cry many times. He was, though he'd never admit it, an emotional kid growing up, often running away after an incident only to be found an hour later, sobbing in the snow. He'd sniffle and pout, trying hard to hide his tears, certain that warriors shouldn't grieve publicly. As they'd grown older, he'd learned to compose himself more, think through his emotions instead of letting them control his actions.

But as the battle waged behind her, with its distant chaos and slow-moving pace, she watched tears bead in his eyes, roll down his cheeks. "Katara," he mouthed, his arms chained up on either side of him, his hands purple from lack of circulation, his body worn and beaten down.

She couldn't feel her legs and sagged against the cell door, noticing a deep gash in the metal right in front of her nose. A gash- something that weakened the metal. Her mind split into a hundred different directions at once, flashes of memory mixing with present initiative until she was nearly pulled under by the familiarity of her actions.

There had been someone here before them. _Slashing her sweat at the bars, ripping a few more millimeters into the metal with each swipe._ Her brother, hanging by his hands, his eyes desperately transfixed to her face. _The feeling of finding out her father was in Boiling Rock._ The sounds of battle, just beginning to fade back in, and realizing that time was once again speeding back up to normal pace, too quickly for her to act. _Zuko taking Azula's lightning, unexpected, too fast for her to save him. _

"No," Katara breathed. She'd be the savior this time. Sokka leaned towards her, and Katara pressed against the bars, wishing he were out and in her arms, such an intense need to have her brother safe and sound. It was then that with a sick lurch of her stomach, she realized something odd. Both her and her brother's arms were strung above them, shoulders back, their legs sagging.

She'd been mirroring Sokka since she fell against his cell, the spitting image of a person done in and defeated. Something in the air shifted almost imperceptibly, like that moment of hesitation before a weighted scale tipped completely.

Something shot through her arm; burning so badly that for a moment she thought it was really fire. She grasped the flesh and blood spurted between her fingers, running around a small blade that was jammed hilt deep in her shoulder. She screamed in pain and fear as a heavy figure ran at her, and with one swift movement she ripped the knife from her own wound and threw it. It landed, and so did the man.

Bile rose in her throat as her head whirled, and she realized with a start that she was bleeding worse than she'd thought. Removing the knife carefully wouldn't have helped, but the jagged way she tore it out elevated the problem to be potentially life threatening. She'd seen men die from less. All at once, her head was clear, blissfully technical, removed. She had a few minutes before her vision would blur, another few before she'd be unable to move efficiently. She needed to get Sokka out, flee from this hellish place.

Aang was beside her, yanking a near-catatonic On Ji behind him protectively. "Get him out!" he yelled, and Katara knew the younger girl wouldn't last much longer, regretting them bringing her at all. She went to work without fear, knowing she'd be safe under Aang's protection, her hair whipping around her face as his blasts of icy, howling air kept the guards and their weapons at bay. She raised her good arm and found the crevice in the metal bars that had already been created, and whipped water back and forth against it until they broke.

"Aang!" she yelled, and they switched places effortlessly, her weaving deadly needles out of ice, pinning some soldiers to the wall, noticing that fewer and fewer were coming out of the door, that some of them seemed to be falling without her even having to attack them- one of them fell flatly towards her, and her movements froze for a moment as she saw the moony, shimmering metal blade lodged in the nape of his neck.

With a mighty shake and a groan that rumbled through the mountain, Aang pulled a wedged shape of rock from the ground and squeezed it against the bars where she'd slice through them, and they began to bend, creaking with their resistance. She looked back to the soldiers, too late, heard On Ji's scream as a spear narrowly missed her right leg. The wedge stopped moving, Aang distracted by his love's yelp, and Katara felt rage and frustration come to a peak. She bent low to the ground, her legs wider than a usual stance, her hips pushed back. She swept both arms, ignoring the pain, towards her, as if she was scooping up a bundle of cloth, and the liquid in the room scurried across the floor to her.

And when she stood, so did the water, the blood, rising in a great wave before her, the blood quickly dissipating and tinting the water pink. And when she flung her arms out in front of her, lunging forward, twisting and wrenching her arms into vivid, windmilling circles, the roaring water twisted into a dragon, writhing around the cavern, picking up bodies and debris. She tossed them around, slamming into the walls, the ceiling, and all at once, froze the liquid with a heave and a breaking of something inside her. Pain lanced at her wrists and back, and she thought hollowly that when this was all over, she'd never willingly push herself to this.

In the brief silence, Katara turned to On Ji, who was gazing at her in awe and terror. Aang was inside the cell, fists encased in stone, wrenching apart the rings on the shackles and groaning with the effort. Sokka's body dropped like a stone, and Aang staggered under the weight. On Ji didn't move, and Katara grit her teeth. "Go help Aang! I'll cover the exit!" She could already sense the fractures in the ice she held together, the struggling bodies crying out and trying to escape, the lifeless bodies weighing her structure down. She couldn't hold it.

Two bodies flitted into the room, pushing a heavy wave of flames before them, so hot that a new line of sweat broke out on Katara's brow. Her arms trembled, and she knew if she had to release the pressure, the fight would go on as before, and they just might lose someone. The flames cut suddenly as one of the men sagged over, an arc of blood splattering onto his comrade's face just before he too fell forward, ripped from his spirit.

She felt her friends press close behind her, and Sokka's cool, shaky fingers pressed against her arm, smearing her blood and bringing a staggering relief to her mind. It was only a few feet to the door, and then a run through the tunnels. They could lose the guards in the city. "Go! I'll finish them and follow, go now!" she shouted over her shoulder, and leaned forward, pressing up against the ice hanging before her, wincing as she felt the give of bones, the snap of sinews. The air was suddenly full of screams, and she sensed Aang and On Ji behind her, moving towards the door. Aang wouldn't hesitate, she knew. They were old enough now to know that that's what got people killed. She stood in front of them, staring at the men left alive in her grasp, and held the position as they began their move down the hall. She could hear the clang of heavy footsteps moving both away from her, and towards her, a thunderous approach of more soldiers, surely brought down by the noise.

Her bad arm gave, and she lost control, her eyes widening in horror and disbelief. All at once, bodies fell from above and swarmed in from the door, again and again, like a dangerous undercurrent on a peaceful shore. Her mind far away, her body did what it could, blasting and ripping, scuttling away, dragging itself upright into an ungainly run-

And then there was someone running beside her, his arm under hers, pulling her along and ignoring her cries of pain. Black gloves grasped her and an electric blue face leered down at her as they ran, sending dizzying relief straight to her fingertips. It didn't matter that the last time she'd seen him, he'd run. It didn't matter than now that she knew Zuko was alive, she knew she'd never be able to be with anyone but him. And the warmth she felt bursting in her heart, that love that held her fast to this mystery at her side- maybe, in the end, it wouldn't matter that she was being pulled in two different directions. "Blue," she gasped, and just then he pivoted, reaching behind him and unsheathing his Dao swords to strike a fire blast away in one smooth, practiced movement. She skidded to a halt and drew her water as fast as she could, slamming it into the ceiling, finding small cracks in a millisecond, then freezing, expanding. She felt the seams crack wide open just as a rumble filled the air and dust scattered down. The guards behind them skidded to a halt, their black armor glinting in the torchlight, warily staring and drawing their assorted weapons over their shoulders.

Then, rocks tumbled down from the ceiling, blocking the guards' path behind them as they struck forward, as the few last weapons whizzed through the opening. Triumph sparked inside her, even as she heard the wet _slick!, _even as she sensed Blue falter beside her. By the time she turned her eyes to him, the needle was already exiting through the back of his throat as he clapped a hand to the entry point, blood burbling betwixt his fingers.

"Blue!" Katara screamed. The man turned and continued to run doggedly, and she went after him, watching him lunge left between the cracks of the wall, into a hidden crevice she hadn't known was there. She didn't have time to wonder how he did- she wiggled in next to him and found herself in a little chamber lit only from the entry. He faltered and she sprang towards him, catching him as he fell, laying him down on his back as his fingers scrabbled at his throat. "Stop, let me see!" His hands fell away and his body jerked- he was choking. Her own deadly wound meant nothing to her then, and she drew the blood up and out of his mouth, the heavy liquid pressing against the cloth and seeping through. Muffled shouts surrounded her, and she realized that though they were safe for another few minutes, it wouldn't take long to clear the path. They could find them, easily, and she didn't have the time or strength to heal both of them.

Her decision was swift, and carried surprisingly little grief with it. As she leaned over him, she silently said goodbye to Lani, who would be abandoned by her parent once again, and to Zuko, who she could only hope would be found and restored by one of his new secret keepers. In fact, when was the last time she'd really concentrated on saving herself? She'd lived so long for others that this last decision meant nothing- just the continuance of an ending pattern.

She couldn't work through the mask. The fabric of his shirt bunched around her hands, and the water glowed faintly in accordance to her weak movements. One last promise, broken- she just might see the man's face through the inky darkness before she died. His hands fluttered around hers, but he didn't grab her as she lifted his head and untied the straps of the mask.

She heard a faint clink, and her heart stuttered, knowing that nothing was between her skin and his. She swept one hand along his face, felt rough stubble at his cheek, a perfectly straight nose, and the smooth skin of his closed, trembling eyelids. He arched beneath her as her hand drifted to his cheekbone, and she snapped back to attention, hating herself for needing to see him, feel him when she could be working to save his life.

She threaded his blood back where it came from, the instinctual movements almost easier in the darkness. She felt, rather than saw, the blood begin to clot, and concentrated harder, pushing back the edges of her vision. She heard a crash and knew the guards were close to breaking through. She didn't have time.

Water glowed brightly in her hands as she began to knit his skin back together. It took only seconds, the hole being no bigger than the needle that pierced through him, but by then the water was already tinted with blood, both his and hers, and was glowing an eerie purple.

A tendril of liquid broke off from the main swirl, and she watched as it crept up, following the lines of his neck, seeking the back of his head. She felt something there, like a knot cast in iron, and gently stroked at it, testing its give. As she had with the stone ceiling, Katara felt for cracks, imperfections in the mass, because whatever it was, it was unhealthy, alien. Déjà vu hit her hard and fast, and her fingers twitched.

With that one small movement, Blue groaned and relaxed, his body no longer straining, and the knot splintered apart in her grasp, her healing waters chasing away the tension, the clotted flows of something spiritual. And then it was over. She knew she needed to get out of the crevice before the guards broke through, or there was a very real possibility they would find both of them. She needed to lead them away, as far as she could.

"Get out when you can. I'm sorry," she whispered frantically in his ear, her hands still at his throat, and Blue groaned against her. It would have to do. She stood, wavering, and slipped halfway out of the chamber.

_Wait._ She looked back, hesitating to leave, and raised her hand, the purple water still swirling around it, waiting to heal the pain it sensed within her. It shone into the little room, a risk she couldn't keep herself from taking. The light cast over two legs in black pants, a torn shirt ripped down around a pale, muscular chest, the newly healed wound in his neck. She saw a strong jaw, a prominent chin, and a mouth that seemed instantly familiar. Something was growing in her mind, her heart. Something big.

She leaned in, and the light fell over his face. Katara stood very still, yet her world did not, spinning and crashing around her as everything clicked into place. His scar was gone and his eyes were closed. He'd grown in the past few years, his features broader and stronger, peaceful in sleep. But still, he was there, alive and well, breathing, warm, solid. A lie and the only truth she'd ever known, all wrapped into one.

Her heart felt a pain deeper and more intense than any longing, than any sadness. He was _right there_. "Zuko," she moaned, agony ripping the name from her lips, and before her muscles could lock her into place, force her to stay with him and let them both die, the waterbender tore herself from the room and began to run, slamming against the walls, tripping over her feet. She kept one hand stretched over her shoulder, keeping her wound contained as much as possible, and felt a miniscule amount of strength return. The rocks gave and she heard a roar of victory as she pushed herself harder. They had to follow her, had to hunt her. She would draw them away and hope that whoever he thought he was, Zuko would escape safely.

She wasn't running for her life. She was running for something infinitely more important than just her.

"Stop!" they were yelling behind her, and she bared her teeth in a fierce smile. Did they really expect her to listen? But they were close, and her steps were beginning to lag. She crouched down, slid the last knife from her boot and turned, ready to take down anyone she could, but they were already upon her, hands shoving, gripping, pulling. She was down on the ground, her face twisted in pain, refusing to cry out. They wrenched her arms behind her, twisted cords around her wrists, and it was then she realized that they were not going to kill her outright.

She could think of only one reason to keep someone like her alive- information. Plans, secrets, and memories she would never give up, but they would never stop trying. Katara began to struggle wildly, desperately, and heard the jeers of the guards as they began dragging her back down the hall. "No!" she screamed. "No!"

As they rounded the corner back to the room where the fight had occurred, she scanned the walls to the left. Her broken body was humming with need, anticipation, fear- but they passed the crevice without noticing anything, and she was afraid to look too long. The man dragging her had fallen behind the rest, and he worked with his head down, huffing and puffing, her dead weight obviously a trial for him.

So she was the only one who saw the man in the mask slip out from the hole in the wall, leaning heavily against the stone, his black-hole eyes sinking into hers. She stayed silent and held her breath as tears sprang to her eyes, knowing she may not ever see him again, wishing she could see his face. But he just turned and ran the moment before she lost sight of him around the curve.

_I did it,_ she thought. _I saved them._

And with that, she allowed herself, finally, to be pulled under.

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><p><strong>I hope you enjoyed reading this more than I enjoyed writing it! Please review! Thanks for sticking with me, everyone!<strong>


	30. The Interrogation

**Getting closer! Sorry for the sporadic updates, I'm working a lot and going to school, so I don't have a bunch of time. Mostly because I'm not making time, so I'll try to be better.**

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><p>Chapter Thirty<p>

The Interrogation

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><p><em>Plunk. Plunk. Plunk.<em>

Katara regained her senses slowly, one at a time. She was first aware of the ache in her shoulders and back, and next, the dim thud of dripping water. Then, the heat moved in all around her, heavy, sticking to her skin. She smelled sweat, blood, something awful and putrid. Her eye muscles twitched, but her lashes were glued shut, and her eyes wouldn't open. Katara frowned and gave up, not needing sight at the moment.

_Plunk. Plunk. _

Zuko. Her body stiffened and dread bolted through her veins like a runaway steed. How could she not have known? Through all the wretchedness and heartache, he had stood watch over her, even though he couldn't have remembered any of it- how they'd hated each other at first sight and feared what they didn't understand, that they hadn't known their lives would spiral together and they would come to know each other as two sides of the same coin. But why hadn't he recognized himself, at all, throughout any of it? Was his memory really gone, just like that? She didn't even know how much of it could be recovered. That knot of steel she'd worked at in the back of his mind had felt like the memory block the Dai Li had put on Jet, though she hadn't made the connection last night. Zuko's knot had been deeper, twisted into his cortex, wound even into that space where in benders, Katara felt an intuitive flow of chakra and spirit. She hadn't felt anything like the heat of a firebender, but in her state, she wasn't sure of anything that she'd done. It was all so hard to remember, so hard to concentrate- the knot was concentrated, but she'd worked at it… so had it broken? Was it enough to make him remember who he was, who she was?

Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a door creaking open, and the sound of many footsteps. Katara swallowed and wiggled her fingers, trying to bring any feeling into her arms, and was suddenly awash in an agonizing needling sensation. She knew her circulation was in grave danger, and wrenched her eyes open, blinking away the tears as her eyelashes tore painfully apart, and her mouth cracked open in a gasp. Katara heard a high, malevolent giggle and her lips twisted up into a snarl, mucusy tears tickling the corners of her eyes and the hollows under her nose. It hurt to breathe, hurt to stand with every muscle straining as she tried to keep the weight off her arms. Azula's blurry form hardened into a clear outline of the little brat in full armor, her hand up in a signal to the guards who followed her into the room. But when she raised her arm, the tie under her armpit came loose, and her shoulder pad started to sag off one arm. Katara blinked, trying to keep her eyes from weeping so she could see better. The younger royal was grey and her eyes- those golden eyes- they were too large in her tiny, pinched face. "You can stay outside the door for now, gentlemen. She's not going anywhere," she said imperiously, her feline eyes and sharp nails glittering in the torchlight. Katara was pretty sure she didn't imagine the tremor in Azula's voice. There was a tense moment of silence, and one of the guards, a tall man with a salt and pepper beard bent down and murmured something in her ear. "That will be unnecessary. Just leave already!" she snapped, and the soldier stood up straight again and turned towards the door. The guards filed out immediately, grumbling ominously, and the door swung shut.

"I'm not going to talk to you," Katara rasped before Azula could say anything, "You can do whatever you want to me, but it won't do you any good." She heard the princess- she could _never_ think of Azula as a Fire Lord- huff a deep sigh, and grinned, feeling her lips crack as she did so. Her blue eyes flickered around the room- small and dark, with two doors and the cell taking up the back half of the square. Probably close to where they'd kept Sokka. Katara's thoughts were fragmented as she tried to focus on the young woman on the other side of the bars, but there was a flair of triumph to them- she'd done everything she meant to do. She found Zuko, or he found her, and she saved Sokka. Lani was safe. Everyone was safe, and she had to believe that if nothing else, Zuko remembered enough to start healing. God, she'd had his blood on her fingers only hours before. She glanced up, but her fingers were grubby, not bloody. So they'd washed her off or something. She looked back at Azula, and all her victories made her bold- there was no one left to hurt but herself, and that was safe. She smiled.

"You have to know that you've lost, Azula. You have to know that everything you've been doing is wrong, and you're going to be held accountable for it all. I'm not going to tell you anything." Azula narrowed her eyes at Katara's words and strode forwards towards the cell. Katara locked eyes with her and leaned in, suppressing a groan of pain as her bones creaked. She was in much worse shape than she thought. It was bad all over, but her shoulder wasn't bleeding, and on the whole, she felt more hunger and fatigue than anything.

"Who else was with you?" Katara bared her teeth and said nothing. She wished she had fangs, she wished she had magic or claws or anything else to rip at her. Azula 's left eye twitched, and she gripped her hands into fists. "There was evidence of all kinds of bending. Obviously the Avatar accompanied you, but the knives, Katara? That was someone else, something new." Azula had dead eyes. Katara couldn't help it, she blinked and felt her heart hiccup. There was no reaction from the other girl. Azula just tilted her head and said, "Back to Aang then. Your peace-loving little _pet_ attacked the Fire Nation. What's next? Is the Fire Nation to suffer all the abuse of the other nations just because we tried to _evolve_ you people?"

Katara gritted her teeth. Azula sneered, but her eye and cheek twitched again, and the effect was more psychotic than smirk. "That always strikes a chord," she breathed, and even though by now Katara's curiosity was killing her, she held her tongue. She couldn't say anything. It nagged at her, the desperation, almost as if a sixth sense was telling her. _Don't speak. Say absolutely nothing- you can't give her anything to contradict-_

"Where is Zuko, Katara?" Azula asked, and Katara kept her face frozen. It was like playing No-Face with Aang after his encounter with that demon- he'd had nightmares of it, so Katara had suggested they turn it into a game. Keep still, no matter what is said or done, no matter how funny or irritating it is- but they're not allowed to touch you. She kept still. She was always still.

A profound understanding lanced through her. She was always still. Katara had no idea what it meant, but it gave her a stir, and she felt her face flicker. Azula zeroed in on it with her sharp eyes, and within a millisecond she was at the bars, pressed against them, and Katara wished she was strong enough to break free and kill her. But then an image flashed through Katara's head- small, shaking shoulders, silent tears coursing down dead porcelain features, her fingers wetting Azula's hair as she wove through her fractured mind and feeling the silky strands slip right through her fingers.

"Why are you like this?" Katara croaked, a disgusted shiver running up her spine, followed by more shivers as her entire body ached. "I healed you. I held your mind between my hands, and even after all I did for you, and all that's happened in the world since you lost, you still can't let it go? You were never meant to be Fire Lord-"

"Oh, come on now Katara. Do we really have to do this again?" Azula interrupted harshly, her voice cold, the words familiar. The waterbender felt her whole body tense as her mind leapt backwards, going over the words again, thinking so slowly in her shock that she missed what Azula said next.

"What?" Katara said, and tried to wiggle her fingers again, the prickles intensifying as Azula raised her eyebrows indulgently.

"I said, 'I'm tired of having the same conversations'." Katara growled, frustrated by the nonsense and her coy smile, and leaned backwards, her legs shaking. Her heels hung a centimeter off the ground, and her calves ached from standing on slight tiptoe to take the strain off her arms. But she was so sore… too sore for just one night, or however long she'd been in the cell. Her stomach dipped uncomfortably, and she lost a bit more of her strength.

To hell with it, she thought. "You won't get away with this you know. Everyone knows now, what you did to Zuko. And Sokka? You imprisoned an innocent man, who has ties to both Kyoshi and the Water Tribe. You think we're still kids, Azula? You think-"

The girl on the other side of the bars smiled fiercely, opened her mouth, and spoke along with Katara:

"-that this time no one's going to notice when we go missing? People have been looking for me for years!" Azula mimicked, her voice outlasting Katara's which faded away as soon as she realized the that Azula spoke her thoughts aloud with her, memorized verbatim, almost as if

_Plunk. _

Almost as if she'd heard them many times before. Many days in a row. The same conversation. Katara's eyes went wide.

_Plunk. Plunk. Plunk._

Azula came closer to the bars, staring at her the same way as a girl views an animal at the zoo. She looked excited, expectant. Her armor was almost completely off her shoulder now, and as unhinged as she looked, Katara could only feel that she missed something. Something big. And Azula just kept staring at her. _Zuko's… how dare you have Zuko's eyes,_ Katara thought faintly in her panic, and Azula caught her breath. "Yes, like always, it's hitting you now. You remember the Dai Li, of course- or perhaps you don't. You're thinking, 'how many days have I been here, and what has she done with all the little secrets I've confessed to her?'- Hmm- you're having a quiet day. Wonderful, I love th-" She backed away as Katara screamed and threw herself forward towards the bars, kicking up through them, almost catching her in the nose. The pain of it was crippling. She couldn't breathe. The bitch barked a laugh at her, breathing heavily, shaking. Katara couldn't keep it in anymore- the noises coming from her mouth were entirely alien to her. How many days? They'd taken her memories. For how many days? What had she missed? She jerked forward again, refusing to look away, howled, "Tell me!"

"Not until you tell me! Where Zuko is, when he's coming for me, how big is his army? I've heard the rumors, water witch, now tell me!" Azula screamed, and Katara felt a pang in the back of her head as she squeezed her hands into claws, and the leak in the corner of the room froze back into the crevice it came from, and the stone cracked above Azula's head. Both girls heard it at once, and Katara grinned hatefully. Azula gasped. "No… you can't…"

Katara knew the block when she felt it, and broke through it, feeling her very spirit return in a rush of cool and clean energy. "Watch me," she hissed, and tensed her fingers into claws.

Those golden eyes widened, and that little unhinged girl threw herself backwards as little stones tumbled down in front of her nose, the ice in the ceiling expanding, pushing at the rock, rumbling all around. Electric anger and disbelief crackled between the two benders, and Katara knew then that Azula was still afraid of her. One hand up by her face, the other thrust against the wall behind her, Azula stared back into Katara's icy blue eyes. "Guards! _Guards!"_ she screamed. Half her armor clattered to the floor, and Azula sank down, still screaming in fear. Katara watched hollowly as the door burst inward and strong arms dragged Azula behind a wall of bodies. She couldn't focus, couldn't feel anything but the loss of reality- they'd taken her own memories from her.

How many of them? Katara's eyes snapped wide open and she quickly ran through the faces in her mind- Sokka, Lani, Iroh, Aang… and Zuko, her protector in the blue mask. Everyone accounted for. She knew who she was, where she came from- just nothing new, nothing beyond that night in the caves. So she must have not told Azula anything about that yet, if they were still- but how long was _still_? Katara groaned, and her head pounded. There was a commotion in front of her, and Azula fought her way through the arms holding her until she could once again see Katara.

Azula shoved the chest of the guard holding her, glaring and heaving wordlessly at the water bender. She really was small, but strong, for the man tumbled and had to hastily right himself before his heavy armor unbalanced him. "Get your hands off me- she was supposed to be secured! Her b-bending- this is unacceptable!" The guards glanced through the bars as Azula's voice got shriller, and their wary gazes unsettled Katara. She had attacked them before, obviously. How many times, or how well she did was impossible to know, but she figured it had to have been bad. Maybe they knew the men she had killed trying to get Sokka out of the dungeon. Good- they shouldn't have tried to go after her family. Azula should have known better then to go after her family.

"I'm going to kill you, Azula," she said simply, the realization just occurring to her in all its finality. She'd realized it didn't matter. Speaking calmly took more effort than yelling. All her doubts were satisfied and all her reservations had dissolved the moment that she realized what Azula had done. But at least for the moment, Katara was in control, and she looked away from the golden eyes to the hands, shaking and clenching into little fists. "You know it. It's the only way to make things right, isn't it? Me killing you, for everything you've done?" Katara grinned blackly, feeling her lips crack. Azula was just still and silent, breathing heavily, and from where Katara hung, blinking hazily, she thought she saw a tear rolling down her sunken cheek before one of the guards stepped in front of Azula, blocking her from view.

"Prisoner, remain silent. This is your first and only warning before we put you out and come back later… be still." The words stirred something in her, but before she could process anything else, the guard shuffled Azula out of the room and glanced up at the ice threading through the ceiling. "Bind her hands and give her a drink of water. Evaporate that," he directed, pointing towards Katara's handiwork, then looked back over his shoulder to Katara, "I will return shortly. Do not hurt my men."

She thought about it as all but four of them left the room, and tried to catch a glimpse of Azula. She saw nothing but a flash of black hair, a snap of blue fire, but she could hear the wracking, strained breath, and nothing could have made less sense to her. She wasn't _allowed_ to act weak and childlike now. She had her younger years for that, and Katara hated her even more for delaying their inevitable confrontation. She gritted her teeth, and one of the soldiers left raised his hands, the others following suit.

"We have no reason to harm you as we carry out our orders, but… well, if you attack us…" His voice trailed away, and he swallowed thickly. Katara tried to clench her hands, and pain shot through her wrists and shoulders.

"About how often do I do that?" she asked tightly. They exchanged glances.

"Not too often anymore. The tunnels are blocked now, so there's no way to escape now. Sometimes though, you still try." The one who spoke moved towards the bars, and the man behind him handed him a key. The door clicked, but he stayed outside, his hands grasping the bars. "Do I have your word?"

Katara nodded, because he was peaceful, because he had information, because they had to know she couldn't fight them with her body like this. So he nodded back to her and swung the door open, and she couldn't help it. Her body leaned forward, and her eyes stung. "How long have I been in here?" she asked as the four men filed in and stood around her.

"You're not allowed to know that. Fire Lord's orders," said a different voice from behind her, and then, all at once, the men reached up and down and laced a line of fire right into the locks, the metal burning her skin for one millisecond before it unclasped and clattered to the floor. Katara's full body weight hit her legs then, and she couldn't hold herself up- she went down, arms grasped her roughly and settled her into a kneeling position.

"Ow," she muttered, biting her lip as blood rushed back into her arms, and she convulsed, dry-heaving. Voices rose above her as hands pushed her flat to the ground and pulled her arms behind her, and she sobbed once for them to stop before finding her jaw and snapping it shut, shutting her eyes and stopping her breath, trying to find the center of her body in the midst of the roiling storm. Muttered apologies came then, and Katara heard them. Really heard them- the soldiers holding her were sorry to be securing her hands together and to the ground behind her, were sorry to heave her back up into that sitting position. So did they like her, or were they afraid of her?

She got control of herself as quickly and quietly as she could. There was nothing else to do. She had to find out what was going on outside. The world was at the brink of another war for all she knew. And there was no longer a way to truly know who was safe and who wasn't, not without having everyone there and accounted for. She would never leave her family again if she were returned to them. Katara let all these thoughts fill her as she spotted the clay pitcher they were bringing into the room. She just drank it, without thinking or tasting or feeling, but the relief was immediate and overwhelming, surging over her in waves. She choked, and the man tugged the water away from her lips, splashing some onto her clothes. With one wave of her finger, it lifted and spiraled back into the pitcher, and she leaned forward, coughing, eyes watering, desperately waiting for the pitcher. But he backed away, clutching it to his chest. Oh. "Sorry," she wheezed, "I'm thirsty. Please."

""Let her finish," Katara heard, and craned around the guards to see the one who'd taken Azula out of the room. He stood just outside the cell, and gestured for the man to step back to her. Katara stared at him as she drank the rest of the water, moving as little as she could, muttering a polite if not hoarse thank you. He never dropped his gaze, but his eyes were calm, controlled. She didn't know why, but something inside her told her to pay close attention to him.

"Thank you," he told the other guards, who filed out of the cell, and then the man came through the door and sat directly in front of Katara, right there on the ground in the filthy cell. She leaned back, trying to sit up straight, but it hurt her back too much. She couldn't feel her hands, just prickles and pain. "And thank you for staying calm. I'm sure it must be hard in your state."

"Is this good guard, bad guard?" Katara blurted out, "Because I'm going to need a second if you're gonna hit me, or that water's going to come right back up." As it is, she was stretched full and very uncomfortable. The soldier smiled grimly.

"No, this is an interrogation. I'm against wasting a good set of working arms, so I get them to take you down for a few hours. I did that for your brother too, but… your case is slightly more dire."

"Thanks, I guess. Is my interrogation going to hurt as much as his did?" Katara ground out from between her teeth. His face fell shut.

"I wouldn't know. I don't normally do the interrogating." This was news to her, and he answered her question before she asked it. "The Fire Lord preferred to handle you both herself."

"So why isn't she doing that today?" Katara demanded, and his eyes shifted to the men filing out the door, their slowing footsteps, and he frowned at her.

"No questions from you." She grimaced back at him, and as the door slammed shut, he said, "Don't speak. Just listen to my questions and then when you have my permission to speak, answer them directly."

"No," she said, but he was already speaking, and she composed her face, afraid to give up anything that would hurt anyone. How could she even know what to say? What if she'd lied before, and the lies hadn't matched up? It would be so easy to catch her. Azula probably had caught her, judging by how bad she was hurt, in a good many lies.

"I have not always worked in the palace, but in the short time I've been here, your imprisonment here has caused more problems for me than anything else so far in my life. If anyone finds out you are here, there will be rebellion. There is already something going around in the streets, an invitation of sorts. Azula does not want you to know anything more than what she's already told you about this."

"Then why would you tell me?" she interrupted, remembering how Azula had mentioned an army, and the man raised his eyebrows.

"You don't recognize me? Very well. You cut yourself and bled all over the garden stones to fool my men, then faked unconsciousness so I would carry you into Lady Ursa's home. After which, you proceeded to destroy the infrastructure responsible for keeping her presence there secret, and Azula had her returned to the palace." Katara had a faint memory of the man snarling under his breath as he loped into the room and dumped her onto a couch, but her eyes had been closed. No wonder his voice had stirred something in her- he'd been her instrument to sneak into the house.

"Is Lady Ursa still here?" she asked, and he nodded. "Does she come to see me?" she asked eagerly, and he shook his head no.

"She's confined to her room, but she has considerable influence over some aspects of the palace. She suggested me to the Fire Lord as a personal bodyguard, and I've been accompanying her to see you this whole time."

Katara frowned. "How did Azula not see through that? You're spying on her, right? For Lady Ursa?" The guard sighed.

"The Dowager Fire Lady is concerned about the Fire Lord's mental state. A mother never stops caring, I suppose," he said, and instantly Lani's young, shining face flashed through her mind. "Lady Ursa knows that Azula is gearing up for something big, but she's stopped performing her duties and the last three payments towards reconstruction in the Earth Kingdom never came. I was told to keep her Lordship stable, and as such, I'm barring her from seeing you today."

"Why?" Katara asked, taking a chance. The guard did not answer her, but she read it on his face- she was breaking Azula. "She's afraid of me. It's stupid, because I can't lift my arms, but everyone here… I can't tell if the guards fear me, or if they feel bad."

"Why not both?" he replied, "Don't forget that many of these men have worked in this palace for many years- some, even long enough to remember you roaming the halls with the honorable Prince Zuko. But times have changed, and under Azula's reign, you are the enemy and you've acted as such."

"Now that we're alone, tell me how long I've been here," she said in a low voice, and he pursed his lips.

"Why? You'll forget by tomorrow anyways. That's how it goes until you tell Azula what she needs to know. You wake up, she interrogates you, you have your memory erased so that if you say anything, you would forget and possibly contradict yourself. Every morning you think it's the first morning in the caves, and she won't let us tell you anything about outside until you tell her about Zuko."

"Does everyone know?" she whispered, craning her neck back and forth as her stomach growled uncomfortably. She thought of all the people in Caldera, swift whispers running through the streets and into the air, speaking of a resurrected king. "Is that why Azula's so scared, is because she's afraid he's making an army?"

"As I said, I cannot tell you any more than-"

"But you need to! Ask Ursa, she'll tell you I need to know!" Katara snapped, frustrated.

"I have asked Lady Ursa. She does not want me to tell you anything that could endanger you." As Katara's eyes widened, he saw the betrayal play out on her features and shook his head. "She is caught in the middle, between the daughter who needed her and the last remaining link to her son, the hope of a future. I have clear instructions, and I will follow them."

"Then follow them," she muttered, staring at the floor in front of her. She heard him shuffling, and a quiet clinking, then something rolled into her vision. A little glass tube, something clear and beautiful sloshing inside, quickly rolled under her knee. She blinked, then looked up, watching the guard stand, his face impassive.

"Something went into motion tonight, and now, you need your memories. You need these days. On the day when you unlock your bending, I was ordered to watch for an opportunity to help. This has been my first opportunity to give you this and if something happens, my last. Lady Ursa thought you could protect your memories somehow, prepare for the next steps. She was very clear that you needed to be lucid from this point on-"

"But I can barely bend, I'm half-dead, I…." Her thoughts raced, and doubt filled every atom of her body. Preemptive healing, protecting her brain? That had to be impossible. She didn't know it. But he was speaking, quicker now, and she had to listen.

"They let your hands free for five minutes when you get your bread. If you can manage it, you should-" There was a banging on the door, and he stopped. Katara watched him close his eyes, mutter one foul word, and then he exploded forward and slapped her sideways as the door swung open with a creak and a groan. "I said no questions!" he bellowed, and as he leaned over her, she felt him nudge the vial under her body with his foot.

"Jin, it's time. Lord Azula's waiting to hear what she said." Katara popped her jaw and shook the hit off, watching the guards pile in, one of them holding a tray. Jin nodded and stepped off, kicking her lightly in the arm, and she gritted her teeth, letting her tongue flick out to catch the drop of blood forming on her cracked lip.

"Stop her mouth from bleeding before you feed her. When are you putting her back under?" he asked, and Katara knew he did so for her benefit. The guard holding the tray shrugged.

"Probably right after she eats, the Fire Lord said she wouldn't be back down today." He shot a nervous glance at Katara as Jin nodded and started to walk out, then called after him. "Is she- well, did she cooperate?" Jin turned back, his hands folded imperiously behind his back, and studied Katara. She tried to look small and weak, the act not being much of a stretch from reality.

"She's calm. You can let her feed herself today. Prisoner, if you hurt my men I will double the discomfort you live in, and triple the beating I gave you." With that, he left, and the guard closest to the door shuddered as he passed.

"Scary," he muttered, and then all four of them turned to Katara. "So… prisoner, we are going to-"

"I have to pee," she said quickly. He stopped talking, and his face went red. "Badly, please, is there anywhere I can…?" He motioned, and the guard on her right grabbed a bucket by the door, gingerly holding it out from his body as he brought it over. Katara's stomach squeezed unpleasantly, and she felt the fragile glass shift just a centimeter under her calf. "Um. Okay… thanks," she said, and her face flamed as the guards all shuffled their feet uncomfortably and tried not to watch her as she realized they'd have to help her up. "I can't get up. Can you…?" she stopped, uncomfortable, not sure how to ask.

"For Agni's sake," the one with the tray muttered, an older man with a pure white beard, " come on, lads." He set the tray down, and Katara's mouth watered at the sight of bread. "Not even able to relieve yourself without help, what this place has come to." The four men quickly opened the locks on her wrists, and she sighed in relief. The old guard's mouth was set unhappily, and as he grabbed Katara under her arms, he was gentle. "Got a daughter, bit older than you," he grunted as she felt the cold rim of the bucket, the guard behind her gingerly lifting her robes up.

"Please," she blurted, and he stopped. "I'm… really sorry, but please…" Motion ceased around her, and the guard sighed.

"Alright, lift her up," he said, and hauled Katara forward, mostly off her feet. She stood. It hurt, but she was up, on her own legs, and the vial was under her left foot, right beneath her arch. She trembled from the exertion, knew she had to move quickly. But how could she even use the water? It didn't make any sense.

"Thanks," she said, "I think I can… um. Yeah." He nodded, and turned away, his hands behind his back. She was surprised that he dared.

"Come on, boys, give her some privacy." The guards on her left and behind her turned, but the one who had brought her the bucket stood firm.

"You're all crazy. She could kill us! Let her piss herself, wouldn't be the first time," he sneered, and Katara's mouth fell open in shock and horror. The older guard was in his face in a flash, his teeth bared, his tone gruff.

"You're looking at a teenage girl who's been imprisoned, tortured, and beaten. She wants privacy to perform the most _basic,_ the most _necessary_ function, and I was surely not appointed as warden so I can watch young, pompous men degrade those under my care. Turn. Your. Back." There was silence, and then Katara saw nothing but the backs of helmets. His concession touched something in her. They weren't all bad- God, how many of them weren't all bad, and she'd killed them anyways? Their jobs. They were just doing their jobs.

"Thank you. I promise I won't do anything. I'm sorry. Thank you."

Katara watched them carefully as her legs shook, as she hiked up her robe and squatted, face flaming. As she did her business, she swirled her fingers, and felt the water answer her call. It felt so pure, so lovely. It was easy, like breathing. It slithered up her leg, through her collar, around the nape of her neck, across the shell of her ear. She let her mind slip into a simpler place, just heat and cold, just raw nerves grating against a build-up of black tar. She soothed them. It was hot, and then cool, and then clear. Something changed, and as her flow trickled to a stop and the men began to shift their feet, an icy, sweet peace blossomed inside her heart. Whatever happened now, she'd tried.

"I'm done," she said, wrinkling her nose, and refused to meet their eyes as they faced her again.

"Take it away," the old guard said, and the bucket was pulled away, taken out by the same grumbling man who'd told her she had peed on herself. She sat, trembling, and the old guard handed her the bread with a kind smile. She ate in big gulps, choked it down, gagged when it hit her empty stomach. When the guard returned, he had a small cup hewn from wood in his hands, and he handed it to her. She felt a prick in the back of her mind, a warning, instantly soothes by a peace she held quietly around what she imagined was a part of her soul. The old guard pursed his lips together.

"It's time you went under. We have to transport you safely, and for the most part, you're good about this. Will you drink it, or do we have to force it?" Katara sniffed the pungent liquid, all eyes glued to her hands, every movement, and she figured she didn't have a choice. But before she drank it, she looked into the old guard's eyes, and she saw someone very tired.

"This can't go on forever," she murmured, "but when it ends, however it ends, thank you for your kindness." And with that, the waterbender sipped from the cup, grimaced, and drank the rest in one long gulp.

Then, she slipped away.

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><p>Two eyes locked in on the palace at midnight, gleaming out from the darkness, silent and watchful. The lights glowed, golden and flickering, over the old red wood and the pillars making blocks of shadows on the ground. When these eyes blinked, they disappeared, only to flicker back to life a second later, never missing anything.<p>

Golden eyes watched the golden palace, and a rough wind dragged a name from unseen lips. "Katara…"

Another pair of eyes, milky and grey, blinked open and lowered to the ground. Another voice joined his, quieter but higher in pitch, saying, "She'll be okay. She's tough." As she spoke, a light in the palace's West Wing turned off, then back on, then back off. A few moments passed, and the light stayed off. Those golden eyes closed for one moment, and then, they turned back into the darkness.

"Not tonight, but soon," he said in his quiet, gravelly voice, and a thousand pairs of eyes blinked open, shining brightly back at him from an army of shadowy figures as the message carried through them. He turned back to face the palace, hearing the bodies behind him turn and start back the way they came. He stayed for one moment longer, watching and wading through old, hazy flashes of gilded halls and long walks and talks, shy smiles and a love so deep that he knew he couldn't survive without it, without her. "Soon," Zuko promised her quietly, then turned and followed his followers back into the inky night.

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><p><strong>And soon, I promise you! This was really a difficult part to write, so I believe now I'm past it, things will come together rather quickly. Thanks for reading!<strong>


	31. The Waiting Ends

**Hello! Thanks for the reviews and favorites, means a lot! Credit to 'needanewname' on deviantart for this stock picture I have on the cover now!**

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><p>Chapter Thirty-One<p>

The Waiting Ends

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><p>Katara woke to flitting shadows, a circling light, and an intense spike of pain in her head. She could feel the sudden swell and pressure at the cross-section of her right eye and ear, deep in the center of her mind where she knew memories dwelled. The room pressed in on her, sitting upright and straight, staring straight ahead and she knew that she couldn't move, or react, or anything to show that she'd woken. <em>This is how they do it,<em> she thought over the sudden adrenaline, and as the light zoomed in front of her, she felt it snag a tiny wisp of her focus, just enough to blur her eyes.

"Everything's going to be alright," a soothing voice murmured. Katara blinked, and that light swung around the circle and back again with a soft _whoooosh_, dragging her along. The pain in her head spiked, and she shivered as ice settled beneath her skin. _Oh,_ she remembered, and the man said, "Don't remember today. It will be better to just forget it all."

_Forget it all_, she thought hazily, and the pain spiked right along with the light this time, a blinding flash and then gone. This time, Katara felt it. She was pulled out of the haze by a quiet sad voice that whispered, _No, remember it all. He did it for you- do it for him. _

"It's alright, Katara. You can let go." _No, I can't_, she frantically thought, bracing herself as much as she could against the light whirling by again, the soothing voices, the darkness. Every spin was a struggle against the basic human need to sleep and let go, against that pain, against the need to remember and know Jin when he came for her and fool Azula and love Zuko, be with him, stop fighting- _keep fighting-_ every pass of light came quicker now, the voices softer, the whirring louder and melodious and calming, like wind across the ice fields, her mother's voice… Like Zuko's scar under her fingers, whispering skin and shameful eyes, eyes that could light up mischievously or darken angrily or hold secrets, secrets that no one could tell her-

Eyes that could find her wherever she went. Katara saw them now, through the bleariness of her tears, in the long, slow blinks of someone who is about to go under, waiting out in the darkness. He waited. A million Zukos, the little boy in the family portrait, Zuko scarless and Zuko masked, a prince scarred and angry and bald, that ponytail, that ridiculous armor, all beloved to her. She held on to him, and that light came rolling by again, slowed down, dimmed, dragged her along, and stopped.

Katara went under along with it.

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><p>Katara woke to a pain in her shoulders and a deep, wrenching heave of nausea. Her head pounded and her breathing was ragged. Her eyeslashed, thick with mucus, stuck together, and she tugged them apart in panic, knowing she had to see where she was, if it had worked and they were all that much closer to being safer-<p>

The room came into focus just as a heavy door creaked and groaned open, a handful of guards preceding Azula's small figure in full armor, followed by more guards who's features were still blurry.

_Glad to see someone's dressed you correctly today,_ she thought, and opened her mouth to say it. Instead, she coughed and felt her chest contract painfully in something akin to wild joy- triumph? But- Katara stopped and got her breath back as her stomach dropped and her head throbbed. As soon as she realized though, that yesterday was clear, and she was awake, and she still knew that it was her second day of being awake, she felt a horrible dread.

"You can stay outside gentlemen, she's not going anywhere," Azula said. Katara narrowed her eyes. She'd said it yesterday. The guard with the salt and pepper beard- her secret ally of sorts, Jin, sighed, but this time, he said nothing, and the men filed out.

"I'm not going to talk to you," Katara croaked. She hoped they were going to bring her water soon, because breathing hurt. It was almost worse, knowing the pain of hanging there, maddening because she couldn't move. "I got my brother out and you know the rest, so I'm not going to tell you anything."

Azula frowned, her skin sallow. She hadn't slept last night. "The rest of what?" she asked. Katara felt her hair tickling her face, her cheeks warming with a blush, and said nothing. "Are you referring to the plans you've been making ever since this started? Your little revolution? You'd be right. I know everything." Katara felt a pang of fear and swallowed it. She didn't have a revolution. Something had to be happening beyond the walls of the palace, and she was dying to know about it. She knew by Azula mocking her yesterday that she repeated herself every day, but she didn't know how much, or what exactly she said most days. Katara barely remembered what she even said yesterday. Azula watched her thinking, waiting for a reaction, and when she didn't get it, bared her teeth. "I have ways of making you talk. It takes some energy, which I was rather hoping to avoid, but if it's necessary-"

Katara snorted. "What?" Azula snapped, folding her arms across her chest. "What's so funny? Nothing about your situation seems very humorous." Silence. It couldn't last because it was bugging Azula, Katara knew, and because most likely she was usually talking by now. But she couldn't. She had no idea how to not contradict herself without staying silent, and the only difference between today and the other days was that this time, she knew what was going on, and could possibly prevent it. She had to win this. "You're not usually quiet for this long… you almost always yell at me the second that door closes behind me," Azula said smugly, and Katara saw her opportunity. If she could wrong foot Azula, maybe Jin would have something useful to carry back to Lady Ursa.

"What do you mean?" she asked weakly, feigning confusion. Azula took the bait, and her grin widened. She relished telling her, the waterbender could tell.

"What, don't tell me you can't feel it. Aren't you rather sore for only being here one night? Your injuries are in different places on your body, you feel like you haven't eaten in days- well, maybe that's because you haven't."

Katara thought about her reaction the day before and couldn't remember it exactly- just the outrage. She paused, feigning confusion. "What do you mean? How long have I been here?" she shouted, swiveling her head around as if she was looking for a way out.

"Long enough to give me some ammunition to use against your little task-force," she replied, "See, the wonderful thing about my Dai Li wiping your memory clean is that I know what I'm going to ask you, and what the true or false responses are, and you have no idea that you're trapping yourself… do you understand? You're slower than usual today." Katara hissed between her teeth. She felt too confused, so caught up in trying to remember the day before that it was hard to concentrate on what she should be saying.

"I don't have a task force, I don't know what you're talking about, and let's just say I don't believe you," Katara said, catching up one accusation at a time, "where's your proof I gave up any information whatsoever?" Azula cocked her head to one side, scratched her neck idly.

"Well, thanks to you," Azula said, "and your heartfelt, often misguided tirades about love and world peace, we've now pieced together little bits of information. Where you were hiding, who was with you for example- every little word you say helps." Katara rolled her eyes.

"Seems like an awful lot of energy for a little information," she stated. Azula nodded, eyes glimmering.

"Oh, it is, but it's necessary. My soldiers are sweeping the mountains beyond the Third Ring and the commoners' filthy hovels now, and taking in anyone who fits Zuko's description." Azula misunderstood the flicker in Katara's eyes and grinned, flexing her hand until sparks shot out. "Don't look so surprised, peasant- scars like his have become quite common since I gave my guards a bit more authority. You might be able to hear the newcomers in a bit- anyone with the same build, scars on their faces, regal eyes… they'll all be processed as I see fit." Katara couldn't help it, at Azula's words a dizzying sense of relief cascaded over her and she laughed weakly. "What's so funny? It's your fault those men are on their way here because _you_ indicated the location of my brother. You told me rumors of a scarred man and I found out the rest!" Azula's triumphant tone only made Katara laugh louder, right in the princess's face, with all the energy she had left. Zuko's voice echoed in her head- Azula always lies. Katara hadn't given anything any then, after all, so all this time Azula had been looking for a boy with a scar- she'd never even gotten close. "I'm looking exactly where you told me to!"

"By all means, continue! Looks like I haven't given you anything _useful_ anyways- you'll never find him like that," Katara spat, "he's…" Her words died on her lips as soon as that feline smile stretched over Azula's features, as soon as the princess leaned back and sighed, giggling and clapping like a child. The watrbender's eyes widened, and she gasped as she realized why Azula was so happy. Katara found it to be the most horrible thing she'd seen in the prison yet, that smile, because Azula only wore it when she won. _Azula always lies- _a warning, not a strategy.

"Oh, Katara." Azula stepped forward, her voice soft, her eyes almost gentle. Katara shuddered. "Finally. So interesting, that people tell you everything you need to know when they're telling you you're wrong. You know I shouldn't be looking for Zuko among the _scarred_ men, because you-"

"No," Katara started, "I didn't-"

"You didn't what- didn't think I knew about Zuko's miraculous recovery, his new face?" Katara stopped breathing. _No,_ her mind was screaming, _no, take it back,_ but she knew it was too late. Azula got closer to her and Katara shrank back as blue flames erupted from her fingertips. Azula watched the flickering, eerie light as it lit up her demonic smile. "How could I not, Katara? How could I let him keep it? What was supposed to remind him forever of Ozai's disappointment in him, he turned into a badge of honor. Disgusting," she purred, and the flames flared, searing little spikes into Katara's eyesight that faded and reappeared every time she blinked.

"What did you do?" Katara asked in agony. She knew how Zuko really felt about his scar, his strength in overcoming its original meaning to him. To find he didn't even have a say in its removal was like if someone taking her mother's necklace from her, which as it happened, now hung around Lani's small neck for safekeeping. Azula shrugged carelessly.

"A badge, if misrepresented, must be taken away. All it took was an errant waterbending healer, killed immediately after of course, and the unwilling cooperation of my mother." Katara's head snapped up at the mention of Ursa. "Thus, Zuzu's beloved little badge of honor was erased, and I gave him something else to wear in shame." _His back,_ Katara thought, _the scars. _"Mother was furious, of course, but at the time, I'd already agreed not to kill him and I had to find another way to vent, so-"

"Why?" Katara screamed, then yelled in pain as blue flames shot through the bars and licked across her left side, leaving her hanging and gasping as tears streamed down her face. She was losing it, everything. "Stop!" she yelled hoarsely. Azula growled at her ferally, twisting her wrist and pulling the fire into a whip that snapped and crackled as she swung it behind her.

" So now, I have proof that you've seen him since he got away from me. It's been almost two years since he found his way out and you know where he is, don't you?" Katara shook her head blindly. Another scream was wrought from her lips as this time, Azula's whip of fire hit her shoulder, stinging for just a moment before the deeper pain, aching, sickening, pulled Katara away.

Through the haze, she heard the door open. Azula kept talking as a few guards walked in hesitantly, her voice floating and dipping with feverish delight. "Stop lying. You've been lying for weeks, and it has gotten nowhere."

"Then stop trying," Katara coughed, the scent of scorched skin making her want to retch. She couldn't look. She couldn't. She gagged at the thought, the smell, but there was nothing to throw up. "What did you think would happen?" she asked, and Azula snorted. "No, really. Let's stop playing around and…" Katara felt her stomach heave and twitched in pain, trying to stay awake, "and tell me. Why, and when will you stop?"

"I offered to stop yesterday Katara, and the day before it as well."

"No you didn't," Katara spat.

Silence, as her eyes were drawn to the man standing behind Azula, his salt and pepper beard shining dimly in the light as his body tensed and snapped to attention. Azula herself was completely still, ashen and exuding triumph even as all expression left her features.

"I see," she said quietly. The waterbender closed her eyes, failure weighing down every inch of her body. _Again,_ she thought, _I did it again._ "Well, well, today has been interesting. You know, I suspected yesterday, when you broke through the seal on your bending, that you might be able to resist. And now, you've proven it, along with giving me some very valuable insight as to your position. I see now. You didn't have any information, Katara- you had access, but you don't know." Azula smiled widely, like a child, but her eyes were troubled.

"Fire Lord Azula, you don't look well. You've made a breakthrough, don't you think it's time you rested u-" Jin started, but Azula let out another high-pitched giggle and cut him off.

"No, I feel rather exhilarated actually," she said, never looking away from Katara. "Don't you see? It's the end of it. Finally, it's the end. I understand now, the questions you asked, the confusion- _you don't know the secret._" Katara's mind backtracked, hurried words with Ursa- _'can't tell… not my secret anymore…"_

"This changes everything," Azula was muttering. "Yes- well Katara, now that you've answered my biggest question, I suppose I can finally give you what you want, right?" Without waiting, Azula went on. "You have been here for five weeks and six days. Mother insisted on coming to see you, but I couldn't risk that- I thought you _knew,_ you see, if I'd have known you didn't, things would have been different. She knew I would keep you alive, if you had the one piece of the puzzle I didn't, but you didn't even know there was a puzzle!" She laughed again and clapped her hands excitedly. Katara stared.

"That must be dealt with accordingly, of course," the princess continued, half to herself, "yes, Mother has gotten a bit out of hand. I needed that spirit water to punish Zuko, and I needed the information she had, but she's like you now- spent and dangerous." The woman shuddered, her black hair waving in front of her eyes, and her color worsened. "Must be dealt with," she said again faintly.

"Fire Lord, please, you're not well," Jin said again, and this time, Azula looked back at him, blinking slowly.

"I am very well," she countered softly. "It's all clear to me now. The rumors of an uprising are true, but it's not Katara who started it. She didn't have information, just access to the information- and she obviously had no idea, because she doesn't know the secret- why this all happened, why her great love couldn't ascend the throne, why I had to do this. She doesn't really know anything." Azula lowered her head. "It's not Katara leading them. My mother… somehow, she…" Azula trailed off. "She must be punished."

Jin glanced at Katara through the bars, and she saw plainly into his mind. He had taken a gamble, and he had lost. She'd failed. Azula turned and started to leave, and Katara called after her, "Wait! You can't just walk away from me!" but Azula spoke over her anguished yells.

"Guard, get my mother and bring her down to the neighboring cell. Clear the courtyard." Jin nodded his head in agreement, but Katara could see his uneasiness even though Azula was too wrapped in thought to notice.

"Of course, Lord Azula. What- what should I tell her?" Azula stopped walking and stared at him coldly. Katara could see how tense her shoulders were, her back poker straight.

"The truth. Tell her she has betrayed me and ceased to bring me any benefit, so she and the other prisoner will be executed at sunrise." Katara's mouth dropped open, but Azula was indifferent, her expression desperate with a hopeful, anxious crease in her brow as she stared up at Jin. "It can all be over with this. I know now, I know how to end it." She turned back to Katara, and Katara felt nothing but trepidation and despair. She wouldn't beg, she knew that. "I never thanked you, Katara, but you've made all this possible. You gave me back my mind, and then you got yourself captured and spilled all your little secrets. I truly couldn't have done this without you- gratitude is warranted, so to show my thanks, I'll finally let you die." Katara breathed raggedly, saying nothing, memorizing the girl's face, hating every inch of her. "No doubt it'll stir things up- the rebels will show themselves as soon as the breath leaves your body, and I'll be waiting, anxious and ready to cut down every last one of them. Anxious in particular," she finished softly, an insane gleam in her eyes, "for our little… family reunion," she said delicately.

As Azula walked out, followed by the guards and led by Jin, a thought occurred to Katara. "You can kill me, but you can't kill the things I've done! It will spread, Azula, and it will outgrow you. I'll-"

The door slammed shut. "-still find a way to kill you!" she yelled. Her words echoed back at her, condemning her, and then there was nothing but the silence, the pain, the blood pounding in her ears.

Katara realized she didn't even know how much time she had left. In the darkness, she waited for sunrise.

* * *

><p>There was no getting around it. Jin knocked on the door and told the guards behind him, "Do not attack her, but block the entrance so she can't get past," and then turned when Lady Ursa's calm voice told him to enter. He did, pushing into the room and bowing respectfully. The woman seated at the window was watching the mid-afternoon sun drift down towards the horizon, but she turned and smiled in greeting, before seeing the guards file in behind him.<p>

"Lady Ursa… you have been charged, with treason," he started roughly, his voice wrought with emotion, "against your daughter, Fire Lord Azula through known collaboration with the prisoner Lady Katara. I hereby sentence by proxy the Lady Katara and the Lady Ursa to death at sunrise, as commanded by the Fire Lord," Jin said as formally as he could, his voice breaking. Even when he hadn't believed a word she said, the regal woman had always been kind to him, and now here they stood, and he was betraying her. Her eyebrows came together, and for just a moment, wild panic erupted behind those golden orbs. Then, she masked herself and stood up, lifting her chin aristocratically.

"Of course. I'll follow you peacefully, but… Jin?" she asked, as the guards moved to surround her. He looked into her eyes, praying she wouldn't say the words, praying she'd make a different decision.

"Yes?" he asked throatily. She smiled sadly.

"Do whatever you have to do. I don't blame you one bit." He closed his eyes, knowing the true meaning of the words, knowing he'd have to carry out her contingency plan, and hating it. The old woman reached up and took the pick out of her top-knot, letting the gathered hair flow around her shoulders. She set it on a stack of letters on her desk and smiled bravely. "Lead the way, gentlemen. I surrender myself into your capable hands and hold no ill will to any of you." The guards looked at each other in shock, being addressed with such respect as they bore a woman to her death.

A guard on her left dropped to one knee. "Beg pardon, Lady Ursa," he murmured as all his fellow guards, including Jin, dropped and paid their final respects to the kind woman. As the low voices muttered her name, she cast an anxious glance towards the hillside beyond the palace walls, the setting sun, and back at Jin as he rose from his bow. He understood her silent reaffirmation, and she could tell he didn't like it. But Azula couldn't be killed- she was still her daughter, just lost. Not lost forever. He just had to keep her subdued after he sent the signal. She sighed and tears choked her throat. He promised no permanent harm would come to her daughter, but she feared that Azula could never be considered undamaged.

"You've all been very kind. Please, show me out then, and look after my things please, until my son arrives, or until his uncle Iroh arrives." A couple of the guards exchanged glances of confusion this time, but they all filed out of the room, and brought Ursa silently with them, closing the door behind her. The door notched quietly and stayed that way as the sun went down, as the warmth left the wood and the shadows passed over it and into the obscurity of darkness. People passed, rumors whispered through the walls, but the door remained closed.

But later that night, that door opened with nothing more than a quiet groan, and a tall figure stole into the room. He looked at the hairpiece and the letters underneath it, and carefully sifted through them until he found the one he wanted. He turned it over and found the hastily scrawled directions she'd written after he got back from Katara's cell the previous night. Jin took the paper with him to the window, and with shaking hands, he lit the lamp near the window and found the panel that would darken the light from outside view. He put the lamp on the table and kept the panel at his side, carefully counting the grains in the hourglass on the table. As soon as they ran out, he put the panel between the lamp and the small window, took it away, then put it back and again removed it so that the people on the hillside would see two blips and know he was there. Normally, that was all. Just a check-in of sorts, to say all is well, it's not time yet. Tonight was the first night he hesitated three seconds, counting them aloud in a hushed whisper, then put the panel back and blipped three more times. He glanced down at Ursa's directions- _three for when it's time, then alphabet,_ after which she listed letters and their varying blips. He took another letter and flipped it over as he waited for a response from the hillside, counting off thirty seconds before he should repeat the code. Jin glanced behind him, but he was alone.

Suddenly, a small spot of light blinked twice on the hillside, and he groaned in fear. He wrote as he watched, his hands shaking. The Lady Ursa hadn't expected to be arrested too, but she had been prepared nevertheless.

* * *

><p>On the hillside, his breath caught as soon as those three short dashes of light came through the distance, in his mother's bedroom. Three for danger, then the alphabet. She had taught him that one summer at the beach, after he'd nearly drowned from trying to save that stupid little turtle-crab. It was the old-fashioned military code during the Burning Coal Revolution that soldiers used. They used it still, but tonight was different.<p>

"Light," he said, his voice cracked still from disuse. He flashed for just a split-second, his head whirling inside the waves as water filled his lungs, and then was back, crouched by the lantern, using his cloak to cut the light off from view. He was breathing hard, so he closed his mouth and shuddered, shaking his head doggedly to remove the last tendrils of memory.

"It's happening, isn't it?" someone said from behind him. He didn't reply, because he had to focus- this wasn't his mother, he could tell. She was never this sloppy, and as the lights came through, the guard introduced himself slowly and haltingly sent, "mother Katara both die sunrise tomorrow save us… most guards will join"

"tunnel cleared" asked the man on the hillside, muttering to the small woman beside him, "Tell them that it's happening. Get the earthbenders." She moved off through the lines of people staggered down the slope, all sitting or kneeling as they did every night when they arrived. Yet every night drew more people- no strangers among them, all verified by friends and neighbors, from shepherds wielding bows and arrows to butchers and their newly outfitted long-swords, every commoner or kinsman was ready. They all perked up as Toph jogged down the rows, calling out in a low voice. Some of them stood and went with her back up to the top of the hill that gazed out on the wall between the palace and the valley, and the gleaming structure beyond the walls. Some in the crowd sent sidelong glances at the resurrected man who stood before them, in fear and relief and a strange sort of pride in him. Their true Fire Lord had returned.

The reply from the guard was slow and still incomprehensible, and Zuko gritted his teeth, sending, "repeat" and wincing as time passed too quickly. The message came again almost ten minutes later, as if the guard had to write down the code and decipher it before he figured out his own response- "land unstable not much cleared." He swore loudly, earning worried glances from the blue eyes standing next to him.

"What are they saying? Zuko, what happened?" He gazed at the man next to him, unable to render this man with the child he'd been seeing, the wolf-face in the snow, that goddamn boomerang. Sokka looked old- not older, but just plain old. He wondered what he must look like to Sokka. Probably worse.

"They're executing my mother and Katara at sunrise, but we won't let them get to sunrise, and most of the guards are with us. We're doing this now. The tunnel is still blocked, so if the earthbenders can't get in, we'll have to go over the wall. Get- hold on." The light was blinking again- "courtyard at sunrise… evacuating dungeon in two hours… preparation made for A

Zuko frowned as the light cut off. He waited, five minutes, then fifteen minutes, but nothing more came, and the exact moment his patience ebbed, he turned and faced his soldiers, earthbenders first. "We're moving in now, through the tunnels. The damage to the tunnel is bad and it isn't cleared, and it's unstable. If you can hold the tunnel long enough to get through, we could make it through there." When they nodded in agreement, he raised his voice to address the entire crowd. "Archers- stand at the wall and attack from where they think we'll all come from. Find cover and fire arrows, but no one head over the wall until you hear us. Everyone who was assigned ground by Toph, come with me. Including you," he said to the earthbenders, and he watched as everyone stood, silently obeying his instructions, preparing themselves for battle. They knew their assigned positions, and he looked at Katara's brother, remembered still only in flashes and moments of blissful coherence, and clapped a hand on his shoulder.

"You'll wait for my signal?" he asked, and Sokka drew a sword from the scabbard at his waist, the moony metal reminding both the young men of the water tribesman's first space sword.

"I don't know how you convinced me to lead the part that isn't directly associated with the kicking-ass part, but yeah. I'll wait for your stupid signal." Zuko felt his mouth twitch up into a smile.

"I'm letting you keep the sword, that's enough convincing and you know it." Both men laughed a little, and then the easy camaraderie hit a sour note as they remembered who they were trying to save, and Zuko didn't know what to say anymore. If they failed… they couldn't. He would die, and everything would need to die with him, to equal the loss of her. For a moment, he flashed, a metal mask between them, her soft body pressed to his cold chest, her lips touching a fanged smile. It hurt, the throb of pain that brought him back, but Sokka was concerned and they didn't have time to waste. He just nodded, his mouth dry, and walked away, back down the hill.

Footsteps padded softly behind him, hundreds swinging through the streets, stealing through the night. He knew that those who followed him considered them their leader, and he wanted to be worthy of it- needed to prove himself. He gritted his teeth against the tide trying to pull him into another flash, stumbling sideways, focusing hard. Everything had changed after that one conversation with his father in his prison cell, after months of questioning and uncertainty. Ozai had finally given him an answer- one he could have never foreseen, couldn't have hoped for in his wildest dreams, nor feared in his worst nightmares. The secret.

It had been the reason Zuko had needed to find his mother, why he'd needed to set certain plans in motion. He thought he'd made sure Azula couldn't find out, but she had, and she'd used it to her advantage. Now, the secret threatened everything he held dear, his love, his life, even his throne. His throne, and along with it his nation, left to his sick little sister.

Because as Ozai had told him that day in the tower, he couldn't be the heir to the throne if he was not the Fire Lord's son.

* * *

><p><strong>Pretty sure some of you, if not all of you, saw this coming. Sorry if it's anticlimactic, but I'm not quite done yet, and I've still got some tricks up my sleeve! Please review if you liked it, if it meant anything to you, or if you have any good Zutara fanfic suggestions :) thanks for reading!<strong>


	32. Before Sunrise

**Hello again! Enjoy!**

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><p>Chapter Thirty-Two<p>

Before Sunrise

* * *

><p>An old man and a young child crouched behind the barrels and boxes in their large ship's storage compartment. Above them they heard the activity on board, as they had for weeks now, and the old man felt a great sense of shame at his foolish plan. He had been naïve to think getting out of the Fire Nation would be easy. They had thought they were safe as soon as they were in open water, but the ship had encountered a blockade three weeks into their journey- Azula's navy was posted just outside Earth Kingdom waters, telling the captains to turn around with their passengers and return to home port. That day, the passengers aboard had hushed during their communal meal, and had heard the captain arguing about their route, the passengers' rights, but to no avail. He had been ordered, along with all other ships heading out of the Fire Nation, to submit under martial law.<p>

As soon as the first soldiers boarded the ship, Iroh had spirited Lani away to the safest place he could find- the cargo hold. It was there he cut her hair above her ears and rubbed dirt and oil from the chestnuts they found in the storage units into their hair, coloring his auburn and hers a redder color. By all accounts, in the green clothing they'd found, they would just look like a poor old man and a young Earth Kingdom boy, stowaways. If anyone were looking for him, hopefully it would be enough to throw him or her off.

The last few weeks had been spent huddled in darkness, stealing food and stealing away from the light coming off the lanterns swung round by superstitious crew members. Some said they could feel a presence down there, but Iroh had been very careful to shield all proof that they were even there. The soldiers stayed above deck, and Iroh only ventured up to hear their news when he knew Lani would not be disturbed. He'd taught the little girl how to keep herself warm with her breath, echoing the same words he had used to teach Zuko years before, in what now felt like many lifetimes ago. Iroh told stories to lull Lani to sleep, and when she slept, he told stories to keep himself awake. About his childhood, the philosophies he'd encountered as a young man. About his family, his dearly departed son and wife, and how the loss of them helped him to cherish anyone he had left. Agni, he told stories about Zuko, such as when Zuko had finally broken down in his older years and admitted what he felt was the first time he'd truly bested the woman who he would come to love.

_Zuko smacked a hand over his face, turning bright red, his scar flushing as he recalled the night at the North Pole. "She was being a brat, so I called her a peasant, which she _is,_ and then after she froze me to the wall the sun rose and I blasted her… and she was already unconscious, but I just stood there like an _idiot_ and was all, 'you rise with the moon, I rise with the sun'," he repeated, and Iroh chuckled, leaving the young prince to cringe. "I never thought you of all people would have a penchant for one liners," he teased, and Zuko buried his head in his arms, the tips of his ears pink. _It was moments like those that he remembered most fondly now, in the brief periods of restful meditation between hiding and gathering information.

The trip upstairs that particular night had revealed their proximity to shore, and Iroh knew it was only a matter of hours before they docked.

"Uncle Iroh?" Lani poked him in the stomach and handed him a round, hard hunk of bread. He squeezed the crust and broke it into two, smiling at the little girl in regret, wishing he had thought of something different, a fool proof plan. Passing into the Earth Kingdom would have ensured their safety, and he would have fulfilled his promise to Katara. Thinking on her desperate face caused him a deep sense of grief, and the hopelessness of it all was as certain as it was frightening. He knew from his years as a general that a fight was a fight, and sometimes, no plans can be perfect, and people are lost. And even though he and the little girl would be thrown back into the battlefield, Iroh vowed that Lani would not be lost. He would die before anything happened to the girl.

"Thank you, I didn't realize I was hungry," he said. The girl smiled up at him sunnily, and he knew he had to tell her, prepare her. "Lani, I discovered that we are close to home again. The stewards say we're fortunate to be docking so early, because our fuel supply was stretched further than it was supposed to be. Our crew was very responsible, but other ships are not so lucky. As soon as we dock, our own ship is refueling and turning around to go get stranded ships and haul them in."

Lani nodded, her thin face serious and worried. "Should we go back to our cave?" she asked. Iroh shook his head. Lani frowned, and reached inside the hem of her shirt to grip Katara's necklace. Iroh had told the child only what was necessary, knowing it was far from enough, knowing that the absence of any new information was worrying the girl. _My responsibility,_ Iroh thought fleetingly, and sighed.

"We cannot go anywhere we have gone before. We should flee Caldera as soon as we get there, but as far as where to find safety, I cannot know until we arrive." His time at sea had been cut off from any contact, and there was no way for news to find him below deck, in the cargo hold. All he knew was from what he'd heard, stolen bits of conversation.

Lani looked down at her bread and swallowed thickly. "Can we… I know it's dangerous, but can we find Mama first?" Iroh hesitated, not knowing how to answer without telling the child things she was not yet old enough to handle.

"Your mother told me to keep you safe. I'm sorry, but I'm afraid searching for Katara will put you in harm's way. We can't go home, Lani," Iroh said gently. Lani shook her head, sniffling hard.

"Never had one," she mumbled, pressing her lips together to stifle the tears. "I never… I mean, I was living there, and everything, but I just…" Her voice trailed off, and Iroh listened quietly. He could tell she was struggling with her words. "I keep getting taken away," she said finally, ages worth of pain compressed into one sentence.

Iroh understood. It was hard to feel secure and safe in a changing environment. Katara loved the girl fiercely, but Iroh knew from experience that a child could not live on love alone. There had to be control, safety, peace. "Lani," he said, "your mother was a warrior before she met you. She had a mission of sorts, and when you came in, you showed her that there was another path for her to take. She chose you, my little friend," he told her, and her eyes shone with quiet joy. "She chose you because she loved you, and because she didn't want to be alone and hurting anymore. But a warrior does not always get to choose when her battle ends, and Katara is still fighting her battles. She never wanted you to be a part of that. I tried to keep you from it, but…" He fought for clarity, feeling old and long-winded. Lani waited patiently, trusting him to tell her the truth, her expression so like Katara's that he wouldn't have guessed they were not related by blood. "You are so young, Lani. Katara was forced to grow up at a very young age, and she never wanted that for you. The only way she knows how to keep you is for you to be separate for a while."

"So," Lani replied, "it's not that she… doesn't want me? Or thinks I'm not g-good enough?" Iroh dropped his bread and wrapped his arms around the girl tightly, holding on in the darkness, muffling her sobs against his broad chest. He soothed her softly, rubbing her back in small circles.

"You are not only good enough, you are perfectly hers," he told her firmly. "Katara can only claim you when she is perfectly herself again, and until then, we must fight our battles separately. In peacetime, we will all be reunited," he counseled her. Lani nodded and fingered her pendant again.

Suddenly, the ship shuddered, and a groaning sound resounded through the chamber. The stowaways froze, looking into each others' eyes. "It is time," Iroh called over the noise, and, heart beating hard and fast, he stood up, guiding Lani along with his hand. They already knew what they were supposed to do, and they did it quickly and silently. Within the hour, they were mingling with the other passengers, staying close together as they meandered towards the side of the ship. Crew members were interspersed with soldiers around the edge of the boat, watching everyone carefully. Iroh noticed the captain with an armored guard, going over a list of names- passengers, no doubt. He shielded his face and pulled Lani towards the gangplank.

They moved down with the other passengers, the young child riding his shoulders, her head bobbing above everyone else's. Lani stayed quiet and Iroh stayed vigilant, looking around for a way out. He felt a tug on his hair. He looked up, and Lani was pointing between the people in front of him. As they moved, he saw why- the passengers were being processed by guards, and men carrying sketches of his face were pulling old men of his height and build to the side. "Iroh! Oh, Iroh!" Lani whispered passionately, clutching the top of his head. The moonlight glittered off the waves, reminding him of the water bender, like she was watching him and waiting to see what he would do. Iroh reached up and pulled her off his shoulders, bending down with her as he was jostled by the other passengers moving off the boat.

"Listen carefully. We will try to get through together, but if they catch me, you must go. They must _not_ find you Lani, do you understand?" The girl was starting to cry, her small chest heaving. "Lani. Stop crying, it will all be okay. Find a woman with children and stay with her- tell her your father is outside the city, ask her to take you there. I will find you- here, take this." Iroh reached into his sleeve and withdrew a small Pai Sho tile, thrusting it into her hands, then grabbing her shoulders. "Show this to anyone you can trust. Use your instincts. Lani?" She met his eyes, and he wiped a tear off her cheek.

"Iroh," she whimpered, agonized, terrified. Self-loathing burned through his veins, and he grasped her hand, pulling her with the crowd. The people around him were nervous enough not to notice, but as he walked down the plank, Iroh could see the guards already looking at him. His heart thudded, and he let go of Lani's hand. He looked down one last time, expecting her tear-stained face, but she was staring down at the Pai Sho tablet, her jaw set. She looked up at him, her brown eyes shining through the darkness of night. "I'm scared," she told him, not a complaint, but a fact. He squeezed her shoulder, stepping off the slope and onto firm ground, the border of guards no more than a few hundred feet from them.

"Everyone has a battle, my child. Fear is only the knowledge of something great to come." As the words left his mouth, a soldier shouted to him, and he knew he was caught, that they must separate. He pushed her shoulder gently, and the child hunched her shoulders, lengthened her stride, and melted away into the crowd, as only a child used to being alone could. Iroh stepped forward, felt a hand roughly grasp his arm, and turned to face the suspicious countenance of the soldier.

"Come with me, sir," the man ordered, "I have to check your identity, a known criminal has-"

"That will be unnecessary," Iroh said calmly. "I am the man you are looking for. I am Iroh." The guard didn't react, he just nodded his head and gripped his arm tighter.

"Where's the girl?" the guard demanded. Iroh raised his eyebrows, shaking his head in confusion. The guard tapped his foot impatiently, then yelled to a guard next to him. "Hey- he's supposed to have a girl with him, right?" he asked, and the guard nodded.

"Yeah. We got different directions for the girl, but they're supposed to arrive together." Iroh closed his eyes momentarily, thanking the spirits that he'd managed to draw their attention away from the girl, and he knew that because they didn't have a description with them, she would be safe as a 'boy'.

"I assure you, I am Iroh, the Dragon of the West. My niece, I'm sure, is expecting me?" he asked. The men glanced at each other, and nodded.

"You have to come with me," the guard said. Iroh bowed his head, conceding defeat.

"I will do so peacefully," he lied, knowing at some point he'd be in a favorable position to strike, when he wasn't surrounded. Caldera rose up around him as he was escorted from the docks, the early morning moon bathing the streets in pearly luminescence, and the great General Iroh bided his time.

* * *

><p>Katara's breathing was ragged as the men unchained her and brought her to her feet. She sagged, her limbs numb, trying to walk between them. Every nerve was alert, waiting, taking in everything she could. If this was the last air she smelled, she would have the scent memorized. She missed the taste of water- for being without it, she realized it did in fact have a taste. The feeling of the rocky floor, then smooth halls under her feet as she was taken up into the palace hall, was barely there due to her numbness, but she could still feel the cool stone under her toes. It was the least decorative, least pleasant hall she'd ever seen in the palace, and it led directly from the prison to the upper levels of the grounds. There were no words during her journey into the open air, but as soon as she felt the moonlight touch her skin, Katara sighed in relief. Her spirits were there to witness her passing, to protect her as she moved into their embrace.<p>

As she stepped into the courtyard where Azula and Zuko had battled all those years ago, her legs failed her, and she fell. Katara hit the ground hard, and for a moment, wild panic smothered her pride and she cried out. The guards only picked her up and continued, but she knew their pace had slowed, and she resisted their hold, bracing herself. "Let me go!" she yelled.

"Don't be afraid, Katara." Her head snapped up, and Ursa stood before her, in the middle of the platform, her arms tied behind her to a stake but her face still blessedly serene. In the months since she'd last seen Zuko's mother, the woman had gotten thinner, and there were more lines of grey in her hair than black. She'd aged a year for every month that had passed, but she was still beautiful. "Everything's going to be alright," Ursa told her gently. Something about her presence calmed Katara, who nodded, and let herself be carted forward towards the second stake.

When the man holding her left arm dropped his grip, Katara knew she was free for only a moment and flung herself forward onto Ursa, wrapping her arms around her, burying her head in Ursa's shoulder. She was certain the guards would pull her away instantly, but as Ursa laid her cheek on top of Katara's head and shushed her in a motherly way, the guards stood back. A glimmer of hope shone in the moment, and Katara went for it. "I'm sorry," she cried, her fingers scrabbling at the knots around Ursa's wrists. She couldn't see what she was doing. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean for it to end this way!" she said, and just as her fingers dug under the rope, the guards pulled her back gently. She felt something loosen, felt Ursa twitch as she realized what had happened.

"It's alright," Ursa told her again as Katara allowed them to tie her arms behind her, to the pole next to the dowager queen. Katara looked on as the men securing her stepped back and dropped to one knee, their faces twisted into grimaces of regret.

"Beg your pardon, Lady Ursa," they murmured, and Katara froze, watching with wide eyes as Ursa smiled benevolently upon the men who were acting towards their deaths.

"You are forgiven, gentlemen. Go in peace, and with my blessing." At her words, one of the men in the back of the group stood and bolted out with a strangled howl, and the other men bore Ursa's forgiveness like a weight on their backs. Katara knew how they must hate themselves in that moment.

Then, the soldiers asked Katara for _her_ forgiveness. She thought back to every fight, every day in the dungeons, every run through the city's alleys, chasing and being chased. It was never these men who needed to apologize, but as Katara whispered, "I forgive you," she felt something light blue and sorrowful dissolve in her mind, and her heart lifted. She said it again, louder that time, and the men stood hastily, turning to wait for Azula's arrival. Katara said it again, to herself, near silently. "I forgive you," she said, and felt that magical weightlessness.

She heard Ursa whisper from beside her, "Be ready," and she was. Katara felt ready for anything, because she was just so tired, and now, so light that she could float along with the breeze, dissolve herself into the earth and air around her and just be done. Anything that happened now, she would greet with a calm countenance and a clear conscience.

And so, breathing in that fresh air, tasting the bitter gleam of exploding stars and the dust of ending worlds, Katara waited for sunrise.

* * *

><p>The palace was deserted. Lonely footsteps echoed down the hall, and stable hands balanced a tray. Jin moved the tray to his shoulder and knocked on Azula's door an hour before sunrise, hearing her muffled, "Enter," and gently pressing the door open. In the first few weeks of his time caring for her, she had almost always met him at the door, her paranoia not allowing her to rest for more than a few hours at a time. In the night, he'd been stationed a ways from her door, closer than anyone else, an installation that her mother had hoped would remind the teen that she was still cared for. And as much as he hated it, Jin did care about the young, insane woman, in a distant sort of way. As he entered the room and spotted her at the window, staring through the sheer curtains into the courtyard below, his heart squeezed uncomfortably.<p>

"Lord Azula?" he said quietly, wanting to announce his presence. She had started to trust him after the night he found her raving through a bad dream, waking so terrified and delirious that he'd had to barricade her in her room just to keep her from setting fire to the whole palace. He still bore the scars, and she still had never apologized, nor spoken of it again. She was a moody, secretive child, still longing for someone to tell her, 'you're not allowed to do that' just to show they cared. He had tried, and she'd begun to unfurl around him. He had learned about the relationship between Ursa and her daughter, and he'd seen the true, hateful madness that had been trained into her, that had become her.

It was why he disagreed with Ursa on this last, most important matter. Ursa believed Azula could change. Jin knew differently, and now it was proven by the girl's willingness to kill her own mother.

"It's finished, you know," Azula said softly, without looking away from the window. "My reign is secured, and my city will undergo a purge to eliminate all contest to me. They will only have me." Jin bowed his head as he walked over to the fireplace and swung the full kettle over the flames, heating water for her morning tea. Then, he sat and shook the tea leaves out of their tin, readying everything as he watched Azula watch her mother.

"Are you happy?" he asked her, knowing she would kill anyone else but him for asking. He waited tensely for an answer, not knowing what he was looking for.

"No," Azula sighed, and stepped away from the curtains, running a hand through her messy hair, picking at the tangled strands. Jin said nothing for a solid minute as she struggled to unbraid the strands, but he stood to intervene when she let out a frustrated snarl.

"Here," he said as she yanked, almost tearing her own hair out, "let me." He pushed her arms away and she narrowed her eyes at him as he pulled her to her mirror and sat her down. "Where are your maids?" he asked. "You are to be out in the courtyard soon, and yet here I am, making your tea like a butler." In all truth, he had told the maids to stay away. He'd made sure Azula would be alone in her room, and he could tell Azula herself thought nothing of it.

"My maids, obviously, are gone. I don't know why I'm surprised… they couldn't be trusted," she said, and her mouth curved so familiarly over the words that he could only wonder how many times she'd told herself that. The kettle boiled, and she huffed an irritated breath at the shrieking noise. Jin dropped her hair and got to it immediately, sensing that she was very close to her breaking point. As he pulled the kettle out of the flames, using a cloth to protect his hand, he said over his shoulder, "it would be easier to untangle your hair if you oiled it."

"What do you know?" Azula muttered back, but she got up anyways and closed the door behind her as she walked into the separate room. In a moment, he heard water splashing in the basin.

Jin's body burst into action as adrenaline surged through him. His hands shook as he pulled the packet out of his sleeve, as he pushed open the small flap. The powder fell into the tea leaves in her cup, and as he poured the hot water over the mug, he avoided breathing in the steam, regretfully burning the paper packet at the same time in the coals. Ursa would never forgive him for this, but it was the only way. He felt the importance of his actions surge through him, and the shaking quelled. Only the pain of his impending betrayal remained, and the sound of running water in the other room.

When Azula returned, her hair dripping down the back of her robe and the bottle of oil in her hands, he set her cup in front of her as she sat before the mirror, grabbed her silver hair pick, and began to oil her hair, combing through the strands with his fingers after using the pick to separate it into sections. For a moment, he allowed the noise to soothe him, and the girl in the mirror relaxed, her face tired in a way that only the loneliest of people could recognize.

"You're rather good at doing a woman's hair, for a guard-not-butler," Azula said, the closest she'd gotten to a joke yet, and he forced a smile onto his face. She wasn't paying attention to him, however- she gazed towards the window. "You're good at caring for us, aren't you? I must admit, I was determined not to keep you here, but Mother said…" Azula blinked, and shook her head a bit, as if she was clearing away a fog. "She recommended you because you listen. She wanted me to talk to you, I suppose." His hands shook as he pulled another section over her shoulder and started to comb through it. "I've never had anyone help me because they wanted to. They were always forced to help me, and then it was never done right." She slammed her fist down on the table, and he fought the urge to wrap her into a hug. If she was still redeemable, she would have proved it by now. Just because she was young didn't mean she could be saved. He knew the opposite was true, knew he must do it. "You're doing this right though, so perhaps…" Azula trailed off again, her mind occupied, studying her wide-eyed reflection as Jin swept half her hair up on top of her head and left the other half down.

"Your mother does hers the same way," he said quietly, and his breath caught ever so slightly as Azula reached for her cup and blew into the liquid, steam billowing into her nose. Then, she drank, two long droughts, and set the cup back on the counter. "She told me she would have loved to do this someday for you," he remembered aloud, and to his surprise, Azula's eyes flickered to his in the mirror, sorrowful and wondrous.

"Yes, my mother…" Azula started, then stopped, her eyes bugging out as her face sank into an expression of pain. He wondered if the poison had already gone into effect, but then she spoke again, quite urgently, her fingers tensing against the wood. "What if… I didn't want this anymore? Jin. Is it possible… is it possible," she said, swallowing thickly, "to go back? What if I could take it all back?" Dread lanced through him at her words, at the redemption they spoke of- the chance he had just taken from her, in the form of poison.

"I don't want-" He stepped back as she suddenly rose from her seat and turned to him, her eyes shining, her voice childlike even as the sweat stood out on her brow. Horror crept up from the base of his spine to his throat as he realized the true weight of what he had done. She stumbled over her chair and fell, gasping, her features shocked. Jin was frozen, staring down as she looked up at him in need and confusion. "Jin, I feel-" she gasped, her chest fluttering, her whole body trembling. His eyes went to the cup on the table. She hadn't had enough to kill her right away. His body was rigid, the oil in one hand, the silver pick in the other, and he looked back down to the fallen princess.

He could tell from the hurt in her eyes that she understood, and the second she got it, Azula broke down, knowing her life was at an end. "No… help me!" she wailed, her voice broken, and she lunged forward towards the guard. He yelled in fright and thrust the pick forward as her hands clawed at his shoulders, as her body jolted with the intrusion. She clung to him, her wet hair at his chin, against his chest, and he looked down, over the crest of her back, to see the tip of the silver hair pick jutting through her, a dark stain spreading down the fabric of her robe.

Her body was still against his, but for her breath. It rose in quick sobs, shuddering. "I'm sorry," he whispered, tears prickling the backs of his eyes. He said, "Your mother…" not knowing how to admit that he'd been told to protect her, and had instead killed her. Before he could find the words, she whimpered- but then she breathed in, one long swoop of air, and as soon as he realized what was coming, her arms locked around his back- too late-

"No!" Azula howled, a blast of lightning erupted through them, around them, as his body tensed and tightened and snapped, as the air bit into him like needles, like whiteness, like death. She clung to him as she electrocuted him, screaming, her voice rising as his breath left him, pain, pain, _pain-_

He dropped to the floor, twitching, gargling. Azula swayed above him, gasping, horrified, still alive. The pick clattered to the floor, and he watched through hazy eyes as Azula pressed a hand to her side. _I've failed_, he thought, and on the heels of that, with horror, _she thinks her mother wanted this._

"How… how could you? Jin…? Jin!" she sobbed, "I thought you _understood_! How could you _do_ this to me?" she raged at him, falling to her knees at his side at the same time as the air siren began to wail, to signify the attack on the city. "Mother," she realized in the deepest horror she could imagine, in the only grief she'd ever felt. "Mother told you to," she moaned, just a scared seventeen year old with her heart broken. She pushed away from Jin's body, crawled down the hall, dragged herself upright.

Azula could see shapes, moving figures she couldn't directly look at, and felt a thick, cloying darkness creeping among her bones as the old man died, as the airships began their slow procession towards the Third Ring. Her head swam and she staggered on her way, the energy in her body razor sharp, the face of her mother calling at her from every corner. She was in the halls, and then on the stairs. _You lied, Mother,_ she thought hazily. "I need t… know. She- l tel l me I k no l…" her voice cut off because she didn't sound like herself, couldn't hear herself. Was there a difference anymore?

Her head ached and the night swam in front of her, pinpricks of light, shadows clinging to the air in her lungs.

* * *

><p>In the tunnels, an army of silent bodies froze as the siren cut through the air and through the foundations of the land, echoing around them. The man leading them tensed, and they looked to him anxiously, remembering the families they left sleeping peacefully in their beds. "They're attacking! Who are they attacking?" voices cried out, and even more voices rose to quiet them as Zuko pushed back through bodies, towards the entrance of the tunnels. The sirens rose and fell. Two minutes went by, and he felt Toph come to his side, her characteristic punch half-hearted. "What's going on?" she said, "I don't feel anything." Zuko's eyes narrowed.<p>

"Then they're using the airships," he said, just as the first explosion rattled the ground, just as screams started to find their way through the tunnels from the town entrance. Zuko's rage spiked, his city under siege, his love and mother waiting for him at the end of this road. He couldn't be in two places at once. Realizing he'd have to go on alone to protect him people took less than a second, and he turned to the young woman at his side. "Toph, you have to lead them back out. They're attacking the city, you've got to-" The tide of motion following those words was immediate, and he braced himself against the crowd surging back the way they came, catching Toph's sleeve and shouting in her ear. "You've got to turn Sokka away, back towards Caldera- Azula will kill everyone."

Toph nodded, shouting back, "Fine, but after that we're coming back to help you!" as she started moving away. He knew she couldn't stop him, and she knew where she would be most useful. "Don't die!' she yelled over her shoulder as Zuko began to run in the opposite direction, and despite the situation, his lips still curved into a smile as he heard voice echoing one last time, "I mean, don't die again!"

Then, Zuko put his head down and ran.

* * *

><p>Iroh walked alongside three soldiers, with two more behind him and his hands bound behind his back, tired of the questions. "I do not know the girl you are talking about," he answered simply, and the men sighed.<p>

"We were told to find you, and that you'd be traveling with a little girl. If you're Iroh, where's the girl?" Iroh said nothing, shrugging his shoulders, and the men asked him nothing more. It was silent in the streets by the port, the sky beginning to lighten, but as he walked, he looked around, and behind him. All the soldiers who had been watching the ships dock were now miniature dots, heading over the southern mountainside. "Why are the men going into the hillside?" he asked, and got no answer. A few of the men exchanged furtive glances, and Iroh chuckled. "I only mean that it is an exhausting climb for so early in the day."

"Well any later, and they wouldn't have legs to climb with," a man behind him muttered humorously, and his fellows chuckled as the one on Iroh's right shouted, "Silence!" It was too late, because Iroh was already putting the pieces together, and he looked in horror towards the area Lani had disappeared to. "Well he was about to find out soon anyways," the first man defended himself. Iroh raised his eyebrows, and the man grinned at him. "Lucky you didn't have a girl with you, else she'd have met the same fate as all the other traitorous bastards living in this city."

"Where are you taking me?" Iroh demanded. "If I would meet that fate anyways, where are you taking me?" The man on his right sighed, pushing him forward so he would walk faster.

"Fire Lord Azula has charged you with treason, the punishment for which is execution. She wants us personally to make sure you get to the official execution spot before die, as you have an unfortunate habit of turning up places you're not supposed to." He walked up to the guard at the gates into the Second Ring, and as Iroh was shoved through the gates, the man said, "Give them the signal." The man nodded, his face impassive, and turned to a pulley system with a lamp on it. Iroh made an involuntary move forward, and all at once the soldiers grabbed him and dragged him back. He resisted, struggling, watching the signal go up.

The lantern was lit and risen, and Iroh stopped completely, pushing back against their insistence as the sirens began to wail, up and down, crying like an infant. Noise filled the air, the rushing of wind, faint cries from those who saw it coming. Gargantuan shadows crossed over the land, tied to the airships, and he could already see the cords trailing down to the ground where the soldiers would slide down to engage at ground level. "No!" he shouted. If he had known his departure was the signal, he would never have moved, and now, he struggled against both the realization and the bonds around his wrists.

"Stop!" the guards cried, lurching forward to subdue him. Iroh opened his mouth and breathed fire as yells of pain erupted around him, and of the fire blasts they shot back before he felled them, only two hit him and one of the two singed his ropes to ashes. Freed, his mouth still smoking, Iroh looked back towards the sea, then overhead at the airship. He had to stop them. Lani was still in the city.

With the path before him clear and nearly impossible, Iroh could only begin the journey, propelling himself up to grab the end of a cord snapping in the wind, and pulling himself up hand over hand.

* * *

><p>As the first distant blasts of fire ripped through the town, faces flashed through Katara's mind. People she might never see again, citizens trapped under burning buildings. Ursa stood ashen and scared beside her, and the men guarding them shouted in shock and anger as smoke began to billow up over the buildings. From the palace on the hill, Katara could see everything- the black dots that were soldiers swirling down from the airships and into the fray, the collapsing structures. "Someone needs to stop them," Ursa gasped. "Azula wasn't supposed to be able…" Katara's confusion was evident, and Ursa said quickly, "Jin was supposed to secure her. I don't know how, but he failed."<p>

"Can you get your hands free?" Katara said as loud as she dared, over the sounds of chaos flooding in.

"Not quite," Ursa said, "if I could just- oh!" She gasped, and Katara followed her line of sight to the right, to the entrance of the palace and the blood-soaked, shivering form there. Katara saw the tears coursing down Azula's cheeks, her absent eyes, her feverish skin, and next to Katara, Ursa erupted into movement, and started yelling. "Azula! _Azula!_" She was struggling, and Azula's eyes snapped over to where they stood. She took a step towards them, then another step, plodding along, grimacing, gasping for air. Katara could see the effects of poison, and she knew Ursa saw only her daughter, needing her- not the murderous gleam in her eye, not the way her hands bent into claws.

"Ursa, wait," Katara said, but the woman wouldn't listen to her and continued to fight for freedom, twisting, never looking away from Azula. Her daughter growled, and as the guards came forward towards her, a snarl rolled from between her teeth and she sent a booming blast of blue flames after them. They yelled as they were bowled over by searing heat, and scattered, backing up towards the walls, fleeing for the corners of the courtyard. Katara whipped her head back an forth, looking for any way out, shaking the pole with the force of her struggle. "Ursa, stop! She's dangerous, don't-" she gasped and cut off as Ursa broke free from her bonds and rushed towards her daughter. "Stop!" Katara cried. Azula punched out, Ursa dodged the flames, rolling away in surprise as Azula fell to her knees, retching, clutching her throat.

The dowager queen surged back up and fell around her daughter, hands resting on her quaking, bony shoulders for a moment as she rolled Azula onto her back, crying out in concern and sadness. "Azula, my darling, what happened to you?" she was saying, her words spilling over into each other until they were senseless crooning, but Katara could hear every one of Azula's ragged words.

"You tried to have him kill me… Mother- you- tried to _kill_ me," she panted disjointedly, pushing her mother's hands off her. Ursa shook her head wordlessly, her mouth open in a silent cry, trying to cover the wound on her stomach, trying to be her mother even as she arched away from her.

"No, honey, no," she cried back. Then, she was blasted backwards by the force of Azula's kick, thrown into the ground as the girl flashed to her feet, swaying unsteadily. Katara felt the rope cut into her wrists as she moved crazily, needing to get to Ursa's side.

"You wanted to kill me! You've always wanted it, ever since Father found out, because you love Zuko best- I-" Azula stepped towards her mother as Katara fought to pull her arms free, as Ursa gazed up at her in love and longing. The girl retched, and when Ursa reached out for her, split the air with a crackle of flames so intense, Ursa had to cover her face.

"Stop! Stop!" Katara yelled, for the one thing she hadn't imagined was watching Ursa die, watching her give herself up for the love of her dear, deranged daughter. "Azula, you don't have to do this!"

Azula laughed, high and manic, pointing to her mother. "The secret will die tonight. You cared for _it_ more than me, so tonight Mother, _pay for it!_" The air began to thicken, and Azula whirled her arms about, her eyes rolling back in her head, the blood dripping in a pool by her feet.

Ursa remained still, frozen, hurt. "Is that really what he told you?" she asked over the noise, over the sudden charge of electricity. "Azula, I have always loved you. I'm so sorry. I love you." Ursa bent her head and swept her hair over her shoulder, exposing her bare neck. Katara screamed as the ropes bit into her arms, as Azula pointed two fingers straight up into the air.

"No you don't! Tell me the truth," Azula sobbed, shaking. Ursa shook her head, and Azula tensed, bending forward, screaming in her face. "Say that you _never_ loved me. _Tell the truth_!"

"Do it, Azula. It's okay, I love you. I love you, I love you," Ursa said, over and over, Azula holding lightning right above her, Katara bucking and fighting, determined to help.

"No," Azula demanded, "you don't. Tell me you don't." Ursa shook her head, and closed her eyes.

Azula snarled and brought her arms back up, and blinding light filled the air. Katara screamed. Ursa was still, and Azula brought her arm down-

"Azula, stop!" The new voice yelling shocked the girl, ruined her form, and the princess bent her wrist, sending the blast into the ground, the shock wave throwing her back and knocking Ursa into Katara. The waterbender tasted electricity, felt static clinging to her eyelids, but she kept looking for the voice- that rough, gravelly, commanding voice. Ursa stirred at her feet, and Azua rolled to her side, trying to get up, squinting into the dust.

The smoke began to clear, and Zuko stepped forward into the light of the rising sun.

* * *

><p><strong>Thanks for reading! I haven't been getting a lot of reviews (completely deserved, by the way, considering how long I left you guys hanging) so it would be really cool of each of you guys let me know if you like this, or if my writing isn't up to par. Thanks!<strong>


	33. After Sunrise

**Hello everyone! This took a while. It took a lot of tears and effort and coffee. I hope it fulfills all your hopes and dreams, and I would like to take this opportunity to tell you all how honored I am by your participation, by your readership, and by this wonderful community of readers. If I ever publish anything, you will be the first to know! Your support is the only thing that made this possible, and I'm very proud to present to you the conclusion to Endlessly, She Said. I started this almost three years ago, and for all you who were waiting this whole time- I dedicate this to you.**

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><p>Chapter Thirty-Three<br>After Sunrise

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><p>Lani went to the shadows and watched Iroh go with the men. She stood there, just behind the wall, pressing her slender little frame against the building and peeking out beyond it with one eye. As soon as Iroh was gone, there was a shrill whistle in the port. The sound made Lani's ears hurt, but it was short, and when it stopped, all the soldiers started running away, towards the hill.<p>

A man glanced her way as he ran by and she whipped back behind the corner, her heart jumping into her throat like it wanted to run away, too. One moment later she checked again, and he had turned and was coming closer, eyes locked on her. _Katara would be calm,_ Lani thought, and she took a deep breath, deciding to run back towards the city. The siren stopped her, as it stopped everyone, and when they all looked up, their mouths dropped open in a collective cry of fear. She couldn't see what was going on, but it frightened her. One woman to her right screamed, "Follow the soldiers!" over her shoulder as she ran after the men in red armor.

But those who followed were being cut down, led into the valley of Caldera to die. Lani wheeled away from the sight, following a dim alley before she doubled back and went towards the water, jogging backwards to look up. Shadows began to creep along the ground, huge shadows as big as clouds. The air was filled with flames and bodies swinging down from black cords.

Never in her life had anything been so fearsome as the fire bombs that dropped then, that boomed and shattered the wooden houses three streets over, causing black smoke to billow in front of the rising sun. Everyone was screaming then. Lani was screaming. As soon as she realized it she stopped. Heroes didn't cower like children, even when they were children. Katara had always done what she could. Lani felt the fear and swallowed it down, straightened up and called out, "Don't go there! They'll kill you from that direction!" but her small voice was smothered by pounding feet and bodies closing in. She ran still, calling anyone with her that she could, seeing how terror made people blind to the danger of following these killers into the hills. The air ships would bomb the city, not the water, where flames died and everything was weightless. She could swim out like a little fish and stay cool while her city burned. Maybe, if Katara could find her there, they would never have to go back to land.

Someone grabbed her collar and Lani yelped as she was turned to face an ash-streaked face, coal-black eyes. "Stop! Go towards the hills!" the woman shrieked. Lani shook her head, but the lady hauled them to a stop. "You're just a child!" she shouted again and again, clutching Lani's arms, trying to make her go.

But they stopped as something happened in the sky. A great big air ship was coming down, its gas bag in tatters, spewing forth steam and fire. On either side, more followed in varying degrees of destruction. Ships were blanketing whole blocks of the city in destruction, shot down by-

Lani gasped and fell back as huge mounds of dark, wet earth roared up from beneath the pavestones and cascaded over the fires, smothering them into nothing but acrid smoke. A great yell burst from her chest and the child jumped in the air, looking all around her. Someone was fighting back, someone was helping! Lani thought of Katara, of the stories, of her friends. "Oh, oh!" the woman was screaming, trying to pull Lani in, squeezing too tight. Lani gripped the woman's fingers and yanked her down to eye level with a mighty wrench too strong for such a little child.

"Let me go," Lani said, "let me go, I'm going to the water." The woman fell back, and Lani ran through the streets she knew by heart, knew from nights spent practicing and fleeing from monsters. She knew her way. She could get there. The little firebender put her head down like Blue had taught her, clutched once at the necklace tucked against her hard-beating heart, and began to pass the wreckage and noise.

Screams for help stopped her, and the child's face lit up with light from a blazing, breaking building.

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><p>The belly of the zeppelin was a small space, and most of the soldiers had deployed. It left three men by the entrance and two pilots, and two men manned the furnace with near constant blasts. Iroh took them out first, and then faced the young men who stood ready, but shocked. "If you want to surrender, now is the time," he said. The soldiers reacted slowly, looking at each other. Then, in a rush, all but one pilot dove towards the hole, towards the ropes, and went down it, and Iroh threw the other pilot towards the hole as soon as the man reached for the pulley that would sound an alarm. The pilot gave up then and crawled out, a lucky break for Iroh, who knew he had no time at all- and now, no control over the zeppelin. As he turned around, back to the narrow window at the front of the vessel, the whole thing tilted slowly, out of control.<p>

He went to the panel, pulling back on the joystick that turned the small wings, and held on as the ground rocked under his feet. There was no straight line of ships, they were spreading out among the buildings, narrowing in upon the Third Ring, and as Iroh realized his position gave him little to no advantage, he turned the ship towards the one closest on his left, pointed towards the hills instead of a collision course.

If he could move from vessel to vessel, maybe he could steer them away. Maybe he could save lives. With this new plan, Iroh went to the hole in the bottom of the empty zeppelin and grabbed the rope. Without resting, with a sweet little brown-eyed face flashing in his mind, Iroh swung himself down, knotted his foot into the rope and waited for an opportunity to jump to the ropes on the ship headed his way.

A shout from the ground had him looking down, then scrambling for cover in the open air as

a hundred boulders the size of his head shot up from the ground and through the gasbag of the zeppelin he'd been aiming for. He yelled in shock as the vessel groaned and lurched in midair, straight towards his ship. He had one choice, and three seconds- Iroh loosened his grip and dropped down the rope, burning his hands, falling like a stone through the air and jerking to a terrifying stop only twenty feet from the ground. He hung for another moment, his head swirling, then climbed hand over hand to the ground and landed at a run as the belly of the zeppelin bore down upon the city. Thankfully most of the gas was escaping- there wouldn't be an explosion if there was no fuel. Screams came from every direction, and people surged from the buildings into the streets. Joined by them was a mismatched force of armored warriors, from silver-haired waterbenders to young Fire Nation soldiers with their spears and their shoulder pads. Some he could see were locals, with their cudgels and their butcher knives, their torches, and as they ran, they surged into the buildings, carried the wounded, shielded others from the debris flying through the air.

Iroh grabbed one of them and held him tightly by the shoulder, staring deep into his eyes. "Who do you defend, and who leads you?" he yelled over the noise, jostled on all sides as the sun colored the sky light purple and orange, and the crashed zeppelin hissed in fire and melting framework.

"We defend our homes and the citizens, and we are led by Fire Lord Zuko!" he yelled back, a triumphant cheer, a battle cry. Another barrage of rocks hit a zeppelin near the port just as it unleashed a horrible barrage on a tenement building, setting the whole thing afire. Iroh turned away, knowing his task.

"I am looking for a girl who is of the utmost importance to Master Katara and Fire Lord Zuko. You must help me find her," he demanded.

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><p>As Sokka charged towards the port with dozens of men and women running alongside him, splitting off into houses to check them for citizens, he watched that strange, otherworldly fire engulf the streets in his path and felt the heat on his cheeks, roughened with stubble and soot. There were still soldiers coming down into the fray, and his archers had taken up positions to shoot at the ropes, felling bodies, and, when their aim was particularly good, slicing the ropes in two. The battle had started and escalated suddenly. Every citizen killed was a justified target, and Azula's orders were clear.<p>

"This way!" Sokka yelled to his remaining warriors, taking a side street to avoid the smoke billowing out of the buildings. His arms pumped and his legs flashed, running as fast as he dared, checking all angles-

He was so busy checking for soldiers that he almost ran right by the little girl who raised her hands and said, "Wait! Help!" as he passed.

Sokka screeched to a halt, snapping himself out of his driven state of mind, and went back, kneeling quickly. "What is it?" he asked the girl. Her hair was long and light brown, and her eyes streamed with tears as she pulled his hand and started hopping backwards anxiously.

"The soldiers, they're keeping these people in the buildings- they can't get out!" Sokka followed her to the end of the alley and saw people spilling from the windows, pleading, screaming as smoke seeped out from the building and flames licked the foundation. Sokka pushed the girl back into the safer alley and went forward, towards the tenement house, towards the line of black and red men keeping the people inside.

Sokka was full of a deep, unending rage for those who killed the innocent. He leaned in and held his sword high, but the soldiers turned and fired, keeping them back as the situation in the house grew steadily worse. All the evacuation missions had depleted Sokka's army, so he growled in frustration as he and his remaining warriors were forced back. He sprang forward, narrowly missed a jet of fire, fell back and rolled behind a group of his earthbenders and villagers, breathing hard.

Sokka felt a small hand on his arm, tugging, and without looking down, yelled to the little girl, "Go back to the alley where it's safe!" It surprised him to see a little boy standing there, holding a coil of wet rope, bouncing up and down. "What?" he asked, and the child pointed to his blue gear. Something odd struck him- the kid was serious, but not scared, his eyes alight with determination.

"Are you a waterbender?" the child screamed over the roar, and Sokka shook his head. The child mimicked him, shaking his head as well, then held up one end of the dense, frayed cord.

Sokka pulled the kid behind him and ran back as a soldier broke through some of his men and fired at him. In the confusion he lost his grip and the child stood up, one knee high, then brought his leg down and sent a blast into the air with his first two fingers, knocking the other firebender back and turning back to Sokka, who knelt with his eyes and mouth wide open. The kid was obviously fine, unconcerned, and shook the cord at Sokka with his other hand. "We need to get this between the house and the bad guys!" he shouted, "I dipped it in the fuel barrel at the port, it's going to burn really big. If we had a stream of water we could carry it up there, to the roof where it's burning, then get one end into the fire! It'll separate them!"

Sokka understood immediately, and his jaw dropped. "Smart idea," he told the little one, who grinned quickly, and then Sokka reached into his holster and grabbed his boomerang. "Maybe we don't need a waterbender." The child blinked for a moment at the weapon, and Sokka tied the near-weightless cord around the middle of his boomerang. "Okay, that's one end, now where else does the rope need to go?" he shouted.

Inside the house, something creaked, and the first story crackled and shifted, the whole building. A cry rose up, but the soldiers didn't relent, and Sokka's fighters kept barraging them. It gave them a pocket of calm to work in, and Sokka swore to himself that as soon as the child had told him the plan, he'd push him back towards the alley and keep another young boy from having to grow up like he did. But the boy shook his head and yelled, "I'll run it there!". Before Sokka could grab him, he'd started to run away.

"Stop!" the man yelled, unwilling to let one so young get involved, but the child just smiled impishly over his shoulder, in a way that spoke to something in Sokka's memory, and gave him a thumbs-up.

"Just aim your boomerang right! I'll do the rest!" the child said, and Sokka had only a brief second to wonder how the Fire Nation kid even knew what a boomerang was, let alone how it worked, before he ran to a good spot, uncoiling the rope as he went, and watched the kid.

The soldiers had turned back to the house to fire at a man trying to jump from the window. The crowd surged forward, making the soldiers turn back to them in one collective move, and Sokka glimpsed the child darting behind the line of firebenders. The child was ducking low, staying unnoticed, and as Sokka looked for a place to stand and throw, the child tied the rope to a grate in the street and waved his arms wildly above his head to Sokka. There was a crowd of people between them, all transfixed by the roaring chaos in front of them, and Sokka stalked to the other end of the rope, just inside the boundary, next to the house. He cocked his arm, calculated. The child grinned and jumped up in victory.

Just as Sokka's arm whipped to the side and the boomerang and cord whizzed away from his fingers, he glanced around and saw one of the soldiers turn and spot the child waving triumphantly. Sokka read the surprise, the shock. He saw those armored hands come up, sparks flying.

"No!" he yelled, reaching his arm out, his fingers stretching towards the child. The world hung in the balance.

The boomerang struck the roof, wrapped around a chimney, and ignited. The strange fire raced down the cord like it was devouring it, lighting up a quick path and then spiking into a hissing, roiling wall of flames. Sokka fell back, momentarily stunned by the sight and the sheer force of the blast. The wall of vicious fire was a story high, between the house and the soldiers, who fell back in pain as the light seared their eyes. Sokka was in a small corridor between the burning house and the burning wall, and he knew they had to move quickly. But where did that kid go? Sokka spun in a circle, his heart in his throat.

A small body darted close to him, bringing the smell of burned hair with it. "Close one," the little boy panted, his cheek rough and red, the hair at his ear smoking. Sokka grabbed his shoulder, relief coursing through him at an almost painful speed.

"You need to get out of here! You could be killed!" he bellowed over the noise. He understood courage, but this was just a kid- it wasn't normal, and it sure as hell wasn't safe. He couldn't let a child fight his battle. But at his words the child smiled up at him, and Sokka was suddenly struck by the realization that the child was a girl, her hair chopped short, but unable to hide the length of her eyelashes or her impish chin.

"They still need me!" she shouted up at him, and put her hands into fists, her first two fingers extended. Sokka craned his head. Then, he fell back, hopping away from the heat as the girl surged up and blasted at the windows, huge fronds of bright, crackling fire cracking the glass inwards, opening the window. At the same time, Sokka roared in pain as fire seared his back, and he turned with a swing of his arm and the clang of his sword to defend the line he and the girl had made. The soldier snarled at him and blood flecked the air, and then he was down and Sokka waited, poised for more.

"Don't go in there!" he ordered the little girl, who stood by the entrance she'd created, tense as if she was prepared to jump through. He'd go in himself when there were no more soldiers- already people were jumping from the second story, clambering down the drainpipe, but so many were still trapped inside. Sokka saw the light hit her face, and his stomach twisted strangely. He had the weirdest feeling he'd seen that expression before.

"I will _never_ run away from people who need me," she shouted to him, her voice content and solid. Her chest rose and fell quickly, her face shone with purpose and elation. "If my mom had ran away from me, I would be dead."

Sokka lunged and caught hold of the child's collar as she jumped towards the window, towards the cries for guidance through the smoke and debris. "Your mom is probably looking for you!" he yelled, angry now, starting to feel scared that this little girl wouldn't go. "I'm not letting you go, kid. You've done more than you needed t- _hey!_" he shouted over the noise of rushing fire, pulling the girl by her collar behind him as two men leaped through the wall of flames, their armor smoking and glowing, the men inside crying out in pain. They were close- too close- Sokka raised his sword, and in his other hand, he felt the fabric slip, felt the child duck out of his grip.

When he tightened his fingers, they caught on a small, gritty chain, hooked around it as the girl slipped right out of it, and Sokka couldn't look to see what he'd grabbed, just held onto the little chain and clapped that hand to the hilt of his sword, swinging it with two arms, curling, slicing through the air, felling bodies. _Hurry,_ he commanded himself, fearful for the child. This was not a child's burden.

It was only a moment, but Sokka had lost the girl. He whipped around just in time to see her small form flicker through the charring window, arms whirling to bend the fire away, and he screamed, "No!" His heart was full of horror. He ran at the house, but the heat forced him back, burning his hands on the ledges trying to see inside.

Smoke clouded around him, and he saw nothing inside.

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><p>The courtyard in the palace was quiet for just a moment after Zuko stepped in. Her body bursting with light, Katara couldn't stop the elated cry, his name torn from her lips like a song; like a battle scream it welled inside her and spilled into the air. "Zuko!" Finally, his name tasted sweet again, but she breathed in smoke, and through the musty air she saw Azula staggering, crouched, her arms hanging limp at her sides.<p>

At first, Katara had a fantastical thought that all Azula's evil was spilling from her mouth, black in the light of early morning, but as Zuko stepped towards the faltering figure with his fists alight, Katara saw, in the flickering light, blood and her body undone- jerking, rasping.

"Azula," Ursa murmured faintly from the ground, bleeding from the head, blinking, her arm pinned underneath her body. Katara finally got one wrist free and swirled her fingers, managing a small pull to slice her ropes with the blood on the ground. Desperate times called, and she answered, leaning over Ursa to keep her away, watching Zuko, who had come to a halt standing over Azula. It was clear now that she wasn't going to get up again.

His flaming hands quelled, and he kneeled and grabbed her wrists and shoulders, hauling her into his lap. The girl gasped, but her brother held on. For a moment, they sat there; Zuko curled up, holding his sister, who gazed up at him in fear.

A wind blew through the courtyard, and the girl shivered.

"Azula," he said then. His voice was gentle. "It's okay." Azula grabbed at Zuko, snatching his hand, holding it tightly with trembling fingers.

"She- tried to k-kill me," Azula whispered, shaking her head, forcing the words as her eyes leaked red. Katara felt intrusive, horrified, stuck.

"Jin did that on his own. Not her." Azula moaned, then shook her head with wide, agonized eyes, past words, past sight. "It's okay," Zuko continued strongly, "she's okay, and you're going to be alright... okay? You're alright, Azula." Zuko paused, his arms wrapped closely around his little sister's twitching shoulders.

Katara didn't hear Azula's last words, if they were words at all, but Zuko understood the way a brother does, understanding through silence, those two identical faces mirroring expressions, those golden eyes speaking. Katara closed her eyes and turned her back, tugging Ursa upright, clutching at her. Zuko nodded and shushed his little sister. "Azula," he tried again, his voice choking off as he put her back against his chest and she began to convulse harder. "Azula, you are loved," he told her firmly, feeling her go. "It's alright. You are loved."

Her breath came short and fast, and her last breath drew in, long and unburdened. She breathed out his name, and Zuko closed his eyes, his face twisted.

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><p>Sokka's heart leapt, then fell as a body materialized in the smoke- too big, but he reached in and pulled, heaving the man through the window only to see his hand grasping that of a woman, who was pulling a child behind her, all linked by their hands. A siren filled the air in the background, and the skies stilled, the air ships pivoting where they hovered, turning around. Cheers rose up, and the bad soldiers ran. It was ending.<p>

Other hands joined Sokka's, pulling people out. The first man vomited, and then Sokka was hauling him up, smacking his face to get his eyes focused. "Where's the girl who came in for you?" he begged, shaking the man hard, "Where is she?" The man was beyond words, pointing, coughing. Sokka let him go, watching for the little girl, though no more people were coming out of the wreck.

A cry rose up as the cord that had protected them began to turn to ash, no more fuel for that fire. Sokka saw no more soldiers through the smoke, his eyes swollen with grime, and so he turned to the house just as it snapped and creaked, the flames smaller and smaller. An earthbender had joined the fight, raising the streets to pull damp dirt from under the stones and blanketing the flames. But still the house fell, beginning to collapse in on itself.

"Everyone back!" people yelled, surging away from the wreckage. "Get back, it's coming down!"

"No, no, no!" he was yelling, until he could no longer hear anything but a ringing sound. Sokka ran towards the building again and again, and felt hands yanking him back, hauling him to the ground. "Get off me!" he screamed, struggling, not hearing their warnings, "I have to get her! Let me go! Let me-"

With one last surge of energy and light, the fire consumed the framework, and the structure folded.

His body felt like a prison, and the pressure was unbearable. Sokka writhed, got one arm free, and pushed himself up. "Stop!" they yelled at him, but he rose, kicking them off, running forward to keep from falling. His ears rung. The building smoldered in front of him, and he could see nothing but shadows and embers. There was an opening through the doorframe. He pulled his shirt up over his face and busted in, singeing his shoulders and head, his eyes watering. Every step was over a burning beam or through a screen of fire, and wet earth filled the air as his soldiers realized he was in there.

They were trying to save him, but Sokka knew if he didn't find that girl-

He felt a small hand tug on his shirt, and turned, crouching to see the girl pinned under debris, her face strangely serene, almost dazed. He felt something metal scratching against his face and realized the hand holding his shirt up was still tangled in the girl's chain. He held on to it and worked quickly to pull the child out. He was suffocating, but he had her. His body meant nothing to him as he went back out the way he came in, stumbling under the weight of the child.

The street was never quiet, but Sokka heard nothing, unwilling to process what he saw as the daylight revealed her face to be too pale, blood coming from her nose and ears. He sank to his knees, laying the little girl out on front of him. Her brown eyes were blinking, taking in the stretching sky, but her fingers scrambled at her throat. "My necklace," she breathed. Even now, her eyes were not fearful.

Sokka was already crying, wiping the grit off the little round emblem he held, tears blurring his vision as he wrapped the child's hand around it. She shook her head though, pushing the charm back at him, and Sokka felt helpless, maddened by it. "You have to give it back. Mama… have to give it back," she said. A tear slipped down her face and onto the stones beneath her body.

"I will," Sokka promised her. "I'll find her." The girl's mouth trembled, and Sokka grabbed her hand and kissed her on the forehead, feeling the coolness of her skin.

"Mama would have saved them too," he heard. His eyes were closed, but he forced them open for this child without her mother, and he found himself nodding, smiling down at her.

"Your plan worked great. You saved them, kid. Okay? Your mom is going to be so… proud," he forced out. He was running out of time. "What's your name? Honey, tell me what your name is. Where can I find your mother?" he begged, hating himself for not doing anything.

"Lani," she whispered, "tell Mama…" Her voice trailed off. Sokka didn't wait, knowing how little time it took between last words and last breaths, and he kissed her forehead again, rocking back and forth with the pain like an old, widowed woman.

"I'll tell her Lani," he promised. "You did so good. I'm so proud of you," he told her.

A moment after that, he told her again, quieter, because the spirit is always more sensitive after it leaves the body, and he didn't want to frighten her.

When he rose, he took a moment to untangle the chain from her fingers, and felt down the links to the weighted pendant. And when he first held the stone, he froze his eyes on the little' girl's closed eyes, and didn't look down. Instead, he let his fingers explore the smooth lines and sanded down curves, a picture forming in his mind, a familiar picture that he loathed to recognize. "It's not you," he said aloud, then looked down.

His mother's necklace- Katara's necklace- shone up at him from his dirty hands. "It is you," he murmured, and looked back to the child on the ground, his hands shaking. "Who are you?" he asked, and the spirit must have been a very good one to move on so quickly, because no voice answered him, not even the wind.

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><p>Zuko held his sister for a long time, even after she was gone, getting her blood on his hands and his shirt, wiping it from her face and hair. "It's alright," he said again, but this time, it was to himself, it was a lie, and his voice broke over the tears. Ursa sat motionless, and Katara knew better than to move her. She healed the cuts that were bleeding, and then she went to Zuko. He didn't react to her approach and gripped Azula's body in a steel vise until she touched his shoulder, pulled at him. He let go then and followed her, rising to his feet slowly and leaning down against her, and Katara wrapped her arms around him as best as she could. For just a moment, she was scared, because he said nothing.<p>

"I love you." His voice was rough and quiet, his eyes wet against her neck, and she relaxed every muscle and pressed against him. She felt the words, and the thrum of his pulse, she felt the exhilaration of letting her guard down because he was safe, and he was here. _Mine_, she thought, _you are finally mine_.

"I love you. I have loved you, even when I didn't know it was you." She took his cheeks, his healed face, in both hands, brushing the skin with her fingertips, and made him look at her. There was something still missing, still searching in his gaze. He wasn't healed yet, but now she knew they had time. "There is no way I could ever love anyone else," she told him carefully, sure he would listen, "and I'm so glad you found me." He kissed her then, a small, tired token, one that spoke of later to come when they had better timing. Then, they turned to Ursa, and went to pick her up off the ground. She was small and quiet, staring at Azula, tears slipping down her pale cheeks.

Men flooded into the courtyard. "Is she dead?" one of them cried, and without waiting for an answer, all of them began to speak at once. "Signal the ships!" they cried, "stop the attack, send them back!" Everyone began to scramble for control and knowledge, asking what happened, calling off the attack, raising a great white plume of smoke as sirens filled the air.

Katara just stood with Zuko and watched her battles end, her heart throbbing and aching with some unknown feeling. It was all over, but she lived on, which meant that there had to be something new starting.

She gritted her teeth as suddenly, her stomach dropped, and she clenched Zuko's hand. He looked at her, raising his eyebrows silently as life went on around them.

Katara shook her head. "I just got this feeling," she started, then trailed off.

* * *

><p>A cheer rose up in the streets. "The Fire Lord is dead! We won!"<p>

Tired soldiers filtered through, dragging their weapons behind them, sporting cuts and burns, coughing smoke. People ran everywhere, carrying water, putting out fires, finding each other. The airships were gone.

Iroh stayed with the fighters, listening for any mention of someone he recognized. The palace stood behind him, the plumes of white smoke signifying the death of a Fire Lord, and somewhere in his mind, he said goodbye to his niece. Most of his focus remained on what he saw. Lani was still missing.

"That's my friend," one of the men said suddenly, pointing towards a figure holding a bow on the roof of a house at the end of the street. A crashed zeppelin blocked the path before them, so they headed over the rooftops and dropped into the other street to meet him.

The archers wouldn't go with them. "We've got to stay here and keep an eye out," they said, "our commander went on to the port, but we stayed behind to keep the bastards on their air ships."

"Who commanded you?" Iroh asked, wondering if that meant Zuko was not at the palace.

"Water Tribe warrior," one mentioned. "Sokka, he was one of the Avatar's allies during the war."

Iroh nodded. "Tell me where he went," he requested, and soon, he was making his way towards the water. He went alone, feeling it would be quicker, and he tried to pay no heed to his surroundings, knowing his purpose could not be set aside for later. Each street unleashed new horrors at him, but as he rounded a corner and saw Sokka from the back, crouching in front of a little corpse covered with a sheet, it seemed that all Iroh's deepest fears had been combined into a terrible nightmare.

"Sokka!" he called, his voice hoarse. "Sokka!" The warrior looked up and Iroh saw the tears in his eyes. Iroh looked past him, to the body, trying not to calculate the size or remember the shape. "Who?" he begged, wondering if fate could really be so cruel. In response, Sokka held up a little chain, the moon and waves pendant winding and unwinding in the breeze as Iroh fell to his knees and pulled back the sheet. "Ah," he sighed, clutching his chest, because it was Katara's little girl lying there with closed eyes and grey skin, it was Lani. "Ah," he cried again, "I'm sorry." He said it only once, and kept the rest of his sorries inside, feeling them on his tongue like a bad aftertaste.

"Who was she?" Sokka demanded, his eyes shining with tears, his face etched in stone. "Iroh, this is Katara's necklace. She would only give this to her daughter, and I know this little girl can't…" His voice broke, and he curled his head in, closing his eyes as he dissolved into tortured tremors.

He needed a moment, but Sokka still waited. Iroh couldn't quell the tears that formed, and tasted them as he spoke. "Her name is Lani. Your sister saved her and then the girl had nowhere to go… she was her daughter, Sokka. I let them kill her daughter." He choked on sobs that wracked his body, and he could speak no more. He felt for her hand under the fabric and grasped it tightly, rocking back and forth, hiding his face. He was not the Dragon of the West. He was an old man, a tired, sad old man who lost a piece of his heart.

Sokka had never had that piece. He looked down at the girl. "Lani," he whispered roughly, thinking of Katara, wondering if she was alive, wondering at the state of the world. He knew she'd never forgive him for what he'd done. He had to- he had to do something, but-

Sokka shook his head to clear it, his emotions rising. "Let's go," he said numbly, stumbling to his feet, focusing on his body. Iroh didn't move, so Sokka grabbed his arm, fighting for control of his body as rage and despair battled on equal ground. "Come on!" he said.

As Iroh stood, Sokka knelt. He was gentle when he tucked the cloth around her little body, picked her up like he would his own child and cradled the girl to his chest. Her thin arms flopped as he got back to his feet, and Iroh arranged them in her lap as Sokka carried her, an arm under her neck and one under her knees, through the post-war streets. Noise faded wherever they went, people falling silent at the sight of a warrior huddled around the body of a dead little girl, and none of them knew who she was. No one knew she had helped to save them.

"You should have had better than this," Sokka whispered to her. Iroh lifted the chain over her head, settling the pendant against her ashen throat, and Sokka shook his head. "She wanted to give it back to Katara," he said. "She knew how important it was."

Iroh sighed and held his shoulder. "It will be safer around her neck than in my hands," he said, and that was that. Nothing more to be said or done.

They proceeded towards the palace.

* * *

><p>"Zuko?" Katara asked, breaking the silence. They had retreated to a corner of the courtyard, watching the ships dock again and the soldiers come out like prisoners, watching their world recover from its near brush with death.<p>

"Katara," he answered, his voice exhausted. They knew people were waiting for them, waiting to find out what happened, but first they just needed to be together, unmasked, honest. She'd been waiting more than two years for this feeling and now that she had it, all the old questions came flooding back. She couldn't wait anymore to ask them. His eyes were steady through their pain. "What do you need to know?"

"What started this? There's a secret… I know that I'm not supposed to know, but I've been fighting this whole time to know the truth, and…" she shrugged her shoulders, half-helpless. Zuko studied her, his eyes full of love and wonder. She could keep hold of his eyes for the rest of her life, and his love. He owed her the truth.

"I had to do this," he told her. The words fell from his lips, imagined a thousand different times and coming out once, so it had to be perfect. She had to understand. Zuko said, "I went to see my father when I decided I had to be with you. Mai was a noblewoman, so political connections had to be reconsidered, and also, I knew my life wouldn't be right without my mother. I went to Ozai. I tried to find out what happened to her."

Katara nodded, thinking back to when they were still children, just after that war, still growing up. She thought of Lani, and how the child would never have to feel that uncertainty Zuko had for his mother. It made her smile.

"Ozai told me that if I married you, we would have to go live in with your people, because my people wouldn't accept two bastardizations on the throne. I was angry, but I was confused. I asked him about it…" Zuko took a deep breath, looking into her eyes. "Ozai told me the truth. I'm not his son, I couldn't be. And another man's son couldn't inherit the throne."

"Zuko," Katara gasped, but the man shook his head, his black hair falling around his ears.

"I had to find my mother. I had to find her, and whatever man fathered me, because I knew that would mean with me gone, Azula was the heir. I left, and lied so that no one would make her suspicious. She found out, somehow. Maybe before he died, Ozai… I don't know, and if I did, I've forgotten."

Katara felt dread licking at her heels as she waited for his next words, the ones that would banish them from this palace forever. She waited, ready for it because Zuko was alive, and even without being a prince, he was hers. She would stay with him, and they would be happy. They'd all be happy. "So who's going to be the Fire Lord if you're not?" she asked, "They don't know! You don't have to tell them."

Zuko shook his head, and the last piece of the puzzle hovered in his mind. They told him no one must know, but it was his secret, and they understood that. Katara was his other half, and she knew everything he knew. "The son of a commoner can't take the throne," he said, "but the son of a prince, even if he is a bastard, is still the son of a prince, and can still take the throne. That was what Azula didn't know."

Katara frowned. Zuko could tell she didn't understand, and he wished he didn't have to remember the moment, remember Ursa telling him on the ship home. "But if Ozai's not your father, then…" she hesitated.

Zuko studied her. "There were two princes, Katara."

_On the ship, Zuko sent a table flying, sent saucers crashing to the ground, tea soaking into the tapestries. Ursa sat in the midst of it, unmoving, unafraid. "Tell me you're lying!" Zuko demanded, and she shook her head. _

"_You must understand, Zuko. We all grew up together, and a marriage was not of love, but of social obligation. When Ozai turned cruel, Iroh and I became great friends. He protected me, and he kept me sane. When I found out I was pregnant… I knew Ozai would kill me, and you inside of me. We kept the secret for our sakes, and now, I give it to you. You are the son of Prince Iroh, the rightful heir, and a good man. Please, forgive me." Zuko stared down at the woman in front of him, her head bowed, her mouth drawn in tight. _

_Then, he said in a low, unrecognizable voice, "Mother," and fell to her side. She held him like he was a child again. _

"_My son," she said, "my sweet Zuko. Your family is whoever you need it to be."_

"Your uncle?" Katara whispered in shock. That kind old man. Had he really been capable of betraying his own brother? But Katara knew that it was a different time, that the Fire Nation was a different place. She glanced at Ursa, who stood at the top of the courtyard stairs, her cheeks sooty and singed, directing the palace guards on where to go, who to help. She looked over and Katara read the sadness in her eyes. They shared a moment of understanding, and when Katara looked back to find Zuko studying her, she lifted her mouth into a smile and squeezed his hand. Zuko nodded, and then her eyes slid from his, to the staircase leading up from the village. The crowd was quieting. "Your uncle," she said again, this time pointing, and Zuko pivoted, spotting Iroh.

"Uncle!" he shouted in relief, and the old man raised his eyes to his true son's face. Zuko stopped breathing, knowing that look, his unwilling eyes taking in the sight of Sokka hunched and walking, carrying a little body that didn't breathe and didn't move. Zuko felt Katara go still beside him, and grabbed her tightly as her brother carried the body closer. Iroh cried, and Sokka too let the tears flow as he knelt and laid the little girl in front of her mother. Katara was frozen, staring with wide blue eyes, with one hand outstretched as if she could pull the soul through the air and back into flesh.

"Ah," Katara moaned, agonized, falling to her knees, falling on top of her little one. It wasn't real. They couldn't have come this far- she was supposed to be _safe._ "I- no," she sobbed, and that was when her eyes flooded, as she pounded the earth and held her daughter's body. "No!" she told the spirits and the earth, and anyone who would listen. No, she wasn't dead, she was asleep, and Katara would join her, just close her eyes and sleep too. The rest of the courtyard fell silent, and as if the wind were magnifying every sound, Katara heard the wails coming from the women of Caldera, and heard the muted pain squeezing from Ursa's lungs. She felt the burden of motherhood as she never had before. She would have died before letting her child go, as her own mother had done, but before she could even know, her little girl was gone. Just… gone. She waited still, to be gone as well.

Her heart kept beating. Her breath didn't stop. Her life went on, and she hated it. "I'm sorry, baby," she crooned. Tears splattered Lani's face, wiping clean streaks through the ash on her skin. Katara kissed her, again and again, clumsily, with a shaking mouth. She didn't let go. "I love you baby, I'm so sorry." She raised her face to Sokka and Iroh, her eyes questioning. "What happened?" she cried.

Her brother shook his head, and the men told her about the tenement building. "She saved an entire building full of people that I couldn't, and I tried to keep her out, but she went in. I wanted to get her Katara, I swear I tried," Sokka begged for forgiveness, his body curved like a question mark under the weight of his guilt. "The building came down. I let it- I let her- Gods," he whimpered, overcome. Katara gazed down at the sweet little face, brushing the dirt and ash off her skin. She held her, the little girl who was no longer there to sing her battle songs and save her from darkness. She smoothed her clothes, cried, wiped her own tears off Lani's face again and again.

She knew it wasn't their fault. It wasn't anyone's fault but hers.

She felt a hand on top of hers, and she realized Zuko was at her side, cradling Lani's neck in one hand and picking up the pendant with the other. She watched the conflict inside him, as something flashed in his eyes, as Blue flickered to life in the movement of his shoulders and the bend of his neck. "I remember you," he said softly, so that only Katara could hear. "I… I was- I wanted you to stay." She closed her eyes and curled over the body.

Ursa's voice was the first to cut through the ringing in her ears. "They need to crown you, Zuko. I'm sorry. Your duty and your people wait for you."

"Let them wait," Katara heard him say harshly, then, "Get away! We don't need you!" She looked up, and there were two medics standing with a stretcher and a clean white cloth, looking apprehensive through their expressions of sympathy. Zuko held onto Lani's body, and Katara suddenly saw herself years ago, clinging to the dead, living in shadows.

"No," she said. It didn't come out as any sound, but they all looked at her, battleworn and bleeding, their eyes hooded with sorrow. "No," she said again, "it's time to… they need to take care of her." Zuko shook his head, squeezing the little girl's hand, and Katara grabbed his hands and made him look at her. "Zuko," she keened, "you have to go. We need you to move us forward. I need you to-"

"Katara," he said, strained, and she pushed him up until he stood and steered him towards the crowd, where the Fire Sages waited with a shining crown of flames. She watched as he turned his back and lifted his chin. He knew they couldn't see him mourn, and in that moment, Katara saw the rest of her life. She would stand there, at his side whether she felt like it or not, and they would raise what was once the most power-hungry nations into its new era of peace and unity.

Katara knew she couldn't stay there forever. If it had taught her anything, life always moved on faster when it felt like it had gone still. There were years to mourn her little girl. There were years to remember her, keep her alive that way. Ursa put her hand on Katara's shoulder and said, "Katara, we have to let them go today. I know… I know you'll always love her." Azula's face flashed in Katara's head, and it hit her life a wave, the sudden brilliance inside her mind, the tranquil clarity.

With that feeling, she finally stood with a quiet, "Thank you, my brave little one," and one last kiss. A heaviness stayed behind as she moved to the top of the stairs with Ursa, and watched Zuko kneel, head bent, in front of the Fire Sages for the second coronation of his life. Katara knew that this was the only way to live, to love those who left, keep them here with thoughts and quiet memories. A warmth remained inside her, like the weight of a tired child's head on her shoulder. Lani would always be there with her, always a child, forever loved.

As Zuko received his birthright, and turned to receive his people, the sun rose before them and there was a new world. Behind them flowed a new part of the past to be remembered, and in that way, time stretched on.

And in that way, Katara knew that everything was endless.

* * *

><p><strong>Thank you all so very much. I need to know, please, how this has affected you or entertained you. It's taken so much that you'll never realize, and I owe it all to you, and to the feedback I get. Writing is about sharing what you love, but sharing goes two ways. So please- leave a review. <strong>

**I'm considering an epilogue. **

**But as for the actual story, the one I set out three years ago to tell, my work is finished. I've told the story I came to tell. It's complete, and it's been fun. **

**Thanks again! Signing off, **

**Aleina**


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